3 minute read
It's been 10 long years since Fernando Alonso last won a Formula 1 Grand Prix, but this weekend might represent a good chance to end the unwanted streak.
Alonso started the 2023 season with a hat-trick of podium finishes. Indeed, he netted six top-three finishes from his first eight outings for Aston Martin since switching from Alpine at the end of last year.
Any hope of a championship challenge fell by the wayside with Max Verstappen's extraordinary run of 10 consecutive wins, but Alonso's target remains the victory that has eluded him for a decade.
Returning to the top step of the podium would be one of the great sporting stories for perhaps the most complete driver of this century, one whose relentless excellence has combined with a spiky personality that has served to deny him winning machinery as he pushes into his third decade in the sport.
A victory in Singapore on Sunday would see Alonso shatter two records: the driver with the longest gap between wins (currently Riccardo Patrese at six years) and the driver with the longest time between first and last wins (currently Kimi Raikkonen at 15 years).
Those marks would be raised to 10 and 20 years respectively. And they would help to recast Alonso's legacy beyond that of a double world-champion who enjoyed an Indian summer.
Alonso represents a good bet to end Verstappen's winning streak this Sunday primarily due to his driving record at the Marina Bay track and the street circuit's specific characteristics.
The Spaniard has finished on the podium here five times, winning twice, in 2008 and 2010.
Befitting Alonso's controversial nature, the first of those wins, in the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix, came after his Renault team-mate, Nelson Piquet Jr., crashed to trigger a safety-car period.
Alonso, who had started 15th on the grid, had already pitted and was thus able to capitalise and bring himself into contention.
The team later admitted they had ordered Piquet to crash to maximise Alonso's victory chances.
Two years later he served up a more orthodox win, absorbing pressure from Sebastian Vettel to keep himself in championship contention.
That was the 25th victory of Alonso's career and he currently remains stuck on 32.
It's fair to say given Verstappen's current form that any other driver winning this weekend would be a long shot - the world champion is a prohibitive 1/4 favourite once again.
But if there is a circuit at which Red Bull might be vulnerable, the high-downforce Marina Bay track could be the one.
Alonso's green Aston should thrive around its slow- and medium-speed turns, while the high thermal degradation of the tyres at this track could prove a curve ball. The threat of rain could also hand the wily veteran an opportunity to show his experience.
Fairytales don't often happen in F1 but an each-way bet on Alonso at 25/1 allows punters to have a cheap stake in potentially a terrific storyline.
Other potential contenders for the bookies are Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez (9/1), McLaren starlet Lando Norris (18/1) and the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton (18/1) and George Russell (28/1). Both Ferrari’s are priced at 33/1 alongside Norris’ cross-garage rival Oscar Piastri.
Williams’ Alexander Albon may be worth a punt for a Top 6 finish at 8/1. The Thai driver has been a regular in the top ten in the last seven races and could benefit from the potential carnage the Marina Bay circuit can cause.
