The Red Bull driver clinched the title in the sprint at the Losail circuit, joining an exclusive club of F1 champions who clinched the title on a Saturday, as McLaren's Oscar Piastri scored a first F1 win.
But most of the headlines after the weekend were dominated by Pirelli's tyre struggles and their ramifications. With mandated stint lengths removing the usual conundrum of saving rubber, the drivers were tasked with pushing flat-out throughout in exhaustive heat that pushed them to their physical limits.
One driver who was unperturbed by the conditions was Fernando Alonso, who remains as determined as ever at the age of 42. The grid's elder statesman has enjoyed a superb year with Aston Martin, and in the latest issue Oleg Karpov talks to those close to the Spaniard to find out what makes him tick, and uncover why F1 is “like a drug to him”.
GP Racing editor Stuart Codling is joined by Mark Gallagher and Matt Kew to discuss Alonso's prowess in 2023 and the versatility of Red Bull's unrivalled RB19 chassis that has denied the opposition the opportunity to either complain or copy it.
