Fernando Alonso opened up about the muscle injury in his lower back after FP2 ahead of the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, revealing how he is managing discomfort to stay competitive.
Despite the injury, the Aston Martin driver reported no pain while driving and remains optimistic about getting through the weekend, with the summer break providing some much-needed recovery time.
Alonso and the team decided it was best for him to sit out FP1 to better manage the number of laps he would need to complete during the Hungarian GP weekend.
Felipe Drugovich stepped in to replace the Spaniard for the session, as Alonso returned for FP2, finishing an impressive fifth – just behind team-mate Lance Stroll in fourth – a strong showing for Aston Martin.
After FP2, the 44-year-old spoke about the injury he’s managing in Budapest.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s the same as yesterday,” he said when asked about his back. “It’s going to be like this the whole weekend.
“I have a small injury on my muscle at the back, on the lumbar area. And yeah, I need some rest, but the summer break is coming.
“So, yeah, it’s another two days of managing the comfort on the seat. We found different solutions yesterday with air pads and other things that they are working fine. Today I had no pain in FP2. So that’s positive.”
When asked whether this type of injury is common among drivers, Alonso explained how it’s a frequent issue in the sport, but manageable with the right care.
“Yeah, you always have small pain and discomfort here and there,” he added. “The thing is that we did the MRI last week just to check properly.
“And, yeah, we saw a small, small injury on the muscle. So, yeah, obviously, if you are a normal person, you will sit a little bit for two weeks.
“But, yeah, I think it is manageable. I don’t have pain in the car, which is the most important thing.”
READ MORE – Fernando Alonso to make F1 Hungarian GP return after FP1 absence
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