Alonso dropped from fifth to seventh at the start of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix but fou♐ght back with a brilliant drive to claim a stunning third place.

The two-time world champion passed 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell’s Mercedes before engaging in a fantastic ♔tussle with old nemesis Hamilton in the closing stages.𒆙 

After trading places with Hamilton through Turns 4 and 5, Alonso pulled off a sensational move to catch Hamilton unawares at Turn 10 - a corner not usually regarded as an overt🌼aking spot. 

41-year-old Alonso then chased down and swept by Ferrari’s 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz to 😼snatch the final spot on the podium behind the dominant Red Bulls. 

“We were not very fast on the straights,” Alonso said. “Eventually you normally pass into Turn 1 or into Turn 4. ღ;

“I think I passed Lewis into Turn 10 💎and 💎Carlos into Turn 11, so not the normal places, because we could not match their straightline speed. 

“We had to make some moves in the c✱orners before, in Turn 10 and Turn 11 and change the straight and then get the overtake done. 

“♔I think for Lewis, was more playing a surprise move there, because no one overtakes into Turn 11, let’s ౠsay. 

“Then Carlos, he was close into Turn 10 again. He closed the doo𝄹r and then 💖I had a better exit. We need to see that because we would love to pass on the main straight like everyone does.”

✃Speaking to Sky about his duel with Hamilton, Alonso added: "A lot✨ of respect between us. 

“It’s never the same when you fight against Lewis, one of the legends of our sport, and ജyou know he can𒅌 do something unexpected and use his talent.

“He got me 🌄in Turn 4, I was in front of him but he managed to pass me there, so that was a little bit of a surprise and I didn’t like it. 

“I trཧied in another place and it worked and I had more pace, so I could pull away.”

Alonso said he could have happily “driಌven for another hour” because he was enjoying being behind the wheel of Aston Martin’s much-improved 🧜AMR23 so much. 

"It was amazing,” the Spaniard said. 

“What a star🐻t on this project, having the second best car in the race today, just behind 𒆙Red Bull. 

“It was unthinkable eight months ago. Even though the race felt very long because I wanted to see the chequered flagꩵ an꧋d be on the podium, I could have driven for another hour because the car was mega to drive.”