Austin proved Alonso can become champion again
On the weekend that marked 10 years since he claimed his second world title, Fernando Alonso was an inspired man in Austin.
The Spaniard produced one of the best drives since his return to McLaren as he hauled his MP4-31 from 12th on the grid to finish an impressive fifth.
It was like watching the Alonso of old as he did what he always did best at Ferrari and outperformed the machine he was driving.
To many that won’t be particularly surprising, after all, he is still regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound drivers on the grid.
Yet, after two years of dawdling around towards the back and in the midfield, I must admit I thought Alonso’s time for wins and maybe finally adding to that tally of championships were well behind him.
OK, yes, he has been on a decent run of results, finishing seventh in four of the seven races prior to the US Grand Prix.
But, even if McLaren and Honda do create a package capable of fighting with the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull in 2017, surely being away from the pressure cooker, that comes with racing at the very front, for so long would put him at a disadvantage?
I also must admit that I felt there was an argument to put forward that the Alonso of old had gone. That maybe he’d lost a tenth or two and in a battle with the very best, the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, there was no way he could come out on top.
Perhaps the biggest disservice I could say is I expected Stoffel Vandoorne, a young, hungry driver who finally has his F1 chance next year, to step in at McLaren and beat Fernando soundly.
Despite that, the now 35-year-old has continually made it clear he is happy and still has the passion for the sport, even if he admits next year is crucial for him in deciding his future.
There was scepticism that many of his comments were just PR talk but now, after Austin, I’m having to rethink everything I’ve just said in the last few paragraphs.
What if those results he has achieved since Hungary, which have helped him score more than double the points of his teammate Jenson Button, were examples of Alonso once again outperforming his car?
And then the battles he enjoyed at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, highlighted firstly that he does still have the race craft, and secondly he still has the ability to do it against highly respected drivers.
There’s nothing like seeing Alonso battle Felipe Massa, just for the memories of Nurburgring 2007 and the controversy the two had together at Ferrari. But the opportunism of his move on the Brazilian was arguably the difference between a driver who knows he’s in his final few races and one who still has the drive to succeed.
Then there was Carlos Sainz, a driver many see as equal to Verstappen and Ricciardo in the Red Bull talent stakes and, therefore, could fight at the very front.
While tyres did play a role, it was still a gutsy battle as Spain’s next big F1 hope did everything to keep his idol at bay.
The eventual move wasn’t particularly special, damn you DRS, but what proceeded it was proof that Alonso can still get it done against any driver he faces.
All that culminated in Fernando doing what he has done throughout his career and maximise every opportunity to get a result. Converting a comfortable seventh into a hard fought fifth has, for now, quelled the doubts I had about whether he could compete if given the chance, at the very front in F1 again.
Of course, McLaren and Honda have a lot of work to do to offer Alonso a winning platform, but if they can, then maybe the Spaniard’s elusive third world title isn’t quite a fantasy dream just yet.