Dani Juncadella: “Once, I was in an F1 test with Fernando Alonso and Stroll, with Aston Martin, and I was left with a phrase that explains a lot about what Alonso is. ‘This guy is a different story,’ he told me”

To evaluate any driver, you have to go beyond the results. You have to understand what car they have, what result and maximum performance they can achieve with the car they have and if they manage to exceed that optimal result by reading the race and other issues. And the clear example is that of Fernando AlonsoAs a driver who knows him very well explained recently in Mundo Deportivo, Dani Juncadella, Aston Martin simulator driver in recent years which, however, this course has not been exercised as such due to its multiple commitments driving in various competitions, in the World Endurance Championship with Genesis and in GT with Max Verstappen’s team.

A few weeks ago, Juncadella, in a relaxed interview on the ‘El Gran Circo’ podcast, explained details of Fernando Alonso’s driving and some anecdotes within the team that explain the talent of the man from Oviedo, such as the one he remembered from a test he carried out with a car from previous seasons with the man from Oviedo and Lance Stroll.

“The best thing about Alonso is that you give him a ratchet and he gets 101% of that, of whatever he has. He has a supernatural talent. I think that at the level of talent I would perhaps even put him ahead of Verstappen. At the level of talent, I would put him as the best. At least from what I have seen, that ability he has to adapt to any situation, in changing conditions, when it rains…”, he explained.

“A great example, which was not shown on TV, unfortunately, was in the Sepang race. Some drivers started with dry tires. Alonso was on top with the medium tire. He passed Hamilton (who was on the soft tire) and Norris almost passed him. He has a superhuman capacity for this. I think that where Verstappen is perhaps better is on a technical level. Verstappen is another generation, perhaps much more obsessed with going to the maximum detail of set up (adjustments)”he commented. And then, he gave the example of that day of filming at the Circuit.

“But there is a phrase that I stay with and it explains a lot about what Fernando is. Once, I was in a test in Barcelona with Aston Martin, where Alonso and Stroll were. It was last year, in February. It was a private test in which I also got in the car, to correlate it with the simulator. It was raining and then they didn’t run,” he remembers.

And he continued: “I was with Stroll and I said: ‘Don’t you want to ride?’. Stroll told me: ‘It doesn’t matter…’. I replied: ‘Besides, you’ve always done very well in the rain.’ And it’s true. Stroll, in rainy conditions, remember that Grand Prix in Türkiye he took pole (in 2020). Whenever it rains, Lance is great and that shows that he has talent. And he answers: ‘Yes, the truth is that I thought I was very good in the rain until they put my friend next to me… (pointing to Alonso)'”he highlighted from that conversation with his friend Lance.

“‘Ugh, this guy is a different story,’ said Lance. And he continues to demonstrate that ability. With all the years he’s been around, the fact that he’s still there, that has to be appreciated.”Dani added.

Doesn’t throw in the towel

Dani Juncadella He also took his hat off to Fernando by highlighting his resilience, resistance and his ability to continue working to stay at his best despite not having a winning car at his disposal. 45 years. The Catalan believes that the key is in the mentality of Fernando to have the hope of having a competitive car in the coming years to bid farewell to F1 as he deserves.

“Because I believe that within him, he must want to have that opportunity or luck, call it what you want, to find a car that can fight for the World Cup and say goodbye with that. It would be brutal to have him at the top,” he added.

“If I were now in a Mercedes it would be ‘first F1’. If Antonelli were now in Mercedes, Verstappen in Red Bull, Fernando Alonso in a McLaren or a car at the level of McLaren or in an Aston Martin at the level of McLaren and Hamilton in Ferrari, it would be ‘prime F1’ and you close the joint, that year ends and that’s it,” he argued.

“But it’s incredible that Alonso still has the desire. I’m amazed. I don’t know, 99% of people would have said, ‘get out, let’s go…’,” he concluded.

2027, a better year?

“Could Fernando Alonso have a winning car at Aston Martin?” That is the million-dollar question after a disappointing start to the project in 2026, with many problems, especially with a Honda engine that is uncompetitive and lacks potential.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I would love to answer. This year I thought it was going to be great. The simulator? It’s good, but in the end it’s not what’s going to solve the car,” he explained.

The car’s leading design engineers, such as Enrico Cardilethey assure that they have already found the correct path for the development of the car for the next year, MD reminded him. “But it doesn’t matter, don’t say it… This year I thought that the car was going to be the best, and within the team, too. They don’t sell smoke. “What they say they really mean”Dani responded to that statement.

“A good last dance? It has to happen. The team with the most resources is Aston Martin, with a billionaire owner. At the resource level there are no excuses. Sooner or later it has to work. I don’t believe that one isn’t capable. There are many good people on the team. I think there was a little bit of structure missing. And now, between not having a good car, and on top of that, absolute pressure to be there. But the excuses run out. I think the engine thing will be solved. Honda will eventually make a competitive engine. “They know how to do it and they have done it with Red Bull.”

“2028? There is also the question of how the regulations are going to change,” recalled Dani, hoping that the Honda engine will be competitive sooner rather than later.

“I don’t know how much time will pass. And Fernando continues, but I don’t know how long. I don’t know if at 50 years old he will continue racing in F1. The other day I thought about it: maybe he wants to compete at 50 years old…”he finished.