Fernando Alonso expects his preparation for the 2022 season to be smooth, as he recovers from surgery to remove titanium plates from his mouth. Alonso said his short recovery means he had to sit out the 24 hour Le Mans virtual race, which took place over the weekend and saw 2021 world champion Max Verstappen crash out. “I couldn’t participate this time because I had an operation last week and was in hospital for a while,” Alonso revealed. “Now I’m recovering from this operation and want to prepare better for the new season than last year. “If the car is competitive then I’m sure I’ll be 100 percent,” he added. Alpine finished the 2021 world championship a middling fifth, with Alonso admitting that “the time for excuses is over”. Alonso said Alpine’s “new engine” for 2022 is “absolutely necessary” in order to get closer to the frontrunners.

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