Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso said he was “disappointed” for himself and Alpine’s fans after being forced into a mechanical retirement in Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old Spaniard, in his last race for the Anglo-French team before joining Aston Martin as successor to retiring four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, was fighting for a points finish until halted by a suspected water leak.
It was his seventh enforced retirement of the season.
“I’m disappointed, for sure,” he said. “I mean millions of people are disappointed now – our fans too. It’s the way it is.
“It’s been a very unlucky season in terms of… well, not unlucky, I think we were not prepared reliability-wise and I think it’s the sixth or seventh DNF. But a couple of races don’t count as a DNF.
“In Australia, we had a problem in qualifying, in Austria, the car didn’t start the sprint race … and some other races that we were not ready to compete.
“It’s a little bit sad to finish like that, but it’s the way it is.”