Alonso admits watching Miami action on TV mid-race

You might think that Formula One drivers powering around a track at average speeds of around 220 kph (136 mph) would have their eyes fixed solely on the road ahead and their rivals.

Not always it seems.

Veteran Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso admitted he was following the action on the giant TV screens at the Miami Grand Prix while driving to a third-place finish on Sunday.

Fernando Alonso was held up and didn't hold back ??#MiamiGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/Vl1EbVRcan
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 6, 2023

Alonso gave the game away with his radio communication to his team where he commented on a move with around 10 laps to go from his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll, who overtook Alex Albon in the Williams.

“Which position is Lance? Great move into turn one," Alonso was caught saying on the team radio.

His comment caused puzzlement and amusement on the race broadcast commentary and when asked by reporters about the observation, he admitted he had seen the action on the course's big screens.

"I think this circuit, we have big TV screens out of some of the low speed corners. So it was very easy to follow the race on TV," he told the post-race press conference.

"I saw one overtake.. it was a little bit unexpected lonely race for us, we were thinking (we would have) a more difficult race."

Alonso had a relatively straightforward day, starting at second in the grid and spending the vast majority of the race in third, well behind the winning Red Bull pair but also comfortably clear of the chasing pack.

The 41-year-old went on to his fourth podium of the season – an unexpectedly strong start to the campaign – but said he now wanted more.

"I think at the beginning of the year a podium was amazing. Now after four podiums we want obviously more, and at least a second place," Alonso said.