Dutch GP: Fernando Alonso draws Spanish GP comparison with Zandvoort atmosphere

Fernando Alonso has said that the Max Verstappen-fuelled atmosphere at Zandvoort reminds him of the Spanish GP when he was at his peak in the mid-00s.

The two-time world champion comes into the weekend on the back of a fine performance at Spa-Francorchamps with him earning P5 after a late time penalty was applied to Charles Leclerc, whilst Esteban Ocon earned P7 to get a double points finish on the board for the team.

He’ll be looking for more of the same at Zandvoort this weekend, then, and he’s looking forward to driving in front of the vociferous Orange Army.

Speaking to Alpine’s media team ahead of the weekend on the Dutch coast, Alonso said that he loves the atmosphere at Zandvoort and that it reminds him of his experiences at the Spanish Grand Prix, particularly when he was a title winner with Renault, in terms of the excitement in the stands:

“Zandvoort is a fun place to visit. We have only been there once before, but it’s now obviously much bigger thanks in part to the rise of Max [Verstappen]. The whole atmosphere and buzz from the Dutch fans reminds me a little of the early 2000s when the Spanish fans really fell in love with the sport. The atmosphere is really great and I’m sure we will experience the same thing again this weekend. It’s a double header but we are excited to get back in the car especially after the team’s performance in Spa also with the fastest pit stop.”