Alonso admits not currently enjoying Formula 1

Fernando Alonso admits he is not currently enjoying driving in Formula 1, despite an impressive performance in difficult conditions at Interlagos.

The 46-year-old Spaniard showed strong pace in the wet, securing his first Q3 of the season on Saturday and even overtaking old rival Lewis Hamilton in the race.

But Aston Martin’s ongoing Honda power unit struggles left him frustrated.

"No, I don’t enjoy it. I just come and do my job," said the two time world champion.

"There’s no fun in driving with different tools to the others."

Alonso said the Aston Martin was actually exceptionally strong through the corners, but lost huge amounts of time on the straights, particularly on the uphill section at Interlagos.

"The car was phenomenal in the corners. It was a great feeling," he said.

"Considering what we lose on the straights, that means we could probably have been a second per lap faster than them," he added, referring to Mercedes.

Alonso also joked about the criticism he receives whenever his performances fall short of expectations.

"I’m good until I’m never good enough again," he told Viaplay.

"If I do something extraordinary, it’s normal. If I do something normal, I’m called too old."

He then jokingly threatened to check the broadcaster’s coverage.

"I’m going to listen back to your entire broadcast to see if you’ve called me too old," Alonso teased.

He insists Aston Martin already understands its weaknesses so late in the season, leaving little else to discover before the winter.

"There’s nothing to learn about the car. We’re on race 21, so we know exactly what we need to improve," he said.

"We have to work hard for next year, to close the gap and be more competitive."

Meanwhile, Hamilton had little to say about being overtaken by his former McLaren teammate.

When asked by DAZN how he found the battle, the Ferrari driver simply replied: "Fine."