Alonso strikes F1 parallel with tennis tactics to 'weaken rivals'

Additional reporting by Ewan Gale

Fernando Alonso has used tennis to explain how his 'monster' mentality is not exclusive to F1.

The two-time champion was in fine form in the second year of his comeback with Alpine, helping the team finish a best-of-the-rest fourth in the constructors' standings ahead of McLaren and behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes.

Despite this, Alonso was incensed on occasion by the lack of reliability from his A522 which resulted in him attacking the team he is now leaving for Aston Martin.

Alpine sporting director Alan Permane has previously labelled Alonso as "a machine" whilst Esteban Ocon, who had a number of run-ins with the Spaniard as his team-mate, called him "a monster".

Asked if his relentless hunger was something he worked on, Alonso told a roundtable of select media including GPFans: "It’s natural.

"It’s the same on everything, not just motor racing.

"Also in tennis, I used to use this example because I don’t play too good tennis but good enough to play with everyone.

“I cannot hit the ball if they are hitting too hard for me or whatever so I start playing high balls, even if I can play better. But like this, the ball arrives at a lower speed to him and he doesn’t know how to react.

“So I eventually maybe ended up winning the game with a better player than me, but it is just because I am constantly thinking how to use my strengths but also how to weaken any of my rivals. It is on everything, not only motor racing.

“And I don’t need to think, it comes naturally.”