Fernando Alonso admits failing to start the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix just added to the “frustrating” lack of results he’s been scoring in 2022.

The Spaniard has been in fine form and even qualified on the front row in Canada, but only in recent races has he started picking up regular points after scoring just two from the opening five rounds. At the Red Bull Ring, Alonso was set to start from eighth place but when the cars pulled away on the formation lap he was left sat on the grid with his tire blankets still on.

“Tire blankets was a second priority; our biggest concern was to fire up the car and we couldn’t,” Alonso said. “It was something electrical on the car [where] it would switch off all the time, so we will investigate and try to fix it for tomorrow.”

Alpine wheeled Alonso into the pit lane but couldn’t start the car and he returned to the garage, ending a run of five consecutive point-scoring sessions and leaving him with a back-of-the-grid start on Sunday.

“It’s very disappointing — very frustrating — because, as you said, I’m driving at probably one of my highest levels of my career and then the car doesn’t start — the engine — for a race like today. So not many points, but on my side I’m very proud of the job that I’m doing.

“If I have a DNF or zero points because of my mistake or something then I would feel bad, but as long as I’m doing my job then I try to cope with it.”

Alonso’s problem was diagnosed as a suspected electrical issue, but Alpine also has more work to do overnight in terms of analyzing why Esteban Ocon stopped shortly after crossing the finish line in sixth place.

“One more lap today and it could’ve been a different story, as I was forced to stop the car at Turn 1 during the in-lap,” Ocon said. “The team are currently looking into what happened and I’m confident we can be ready for tomorrow.”