Brundle labels Alonso's woes a 'horror show'

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Sky Sports F1 commentator and former F1 driver Martin Brundle believes that Fernando Alonso's breakdown this morning on his opening lap of free practice was a 'horror show'.

Alonso had barely made it past the first two corners when his Honda powered unit expired, forcing the Spaniard to call it a morning there and then.

Alonso didn't say much but his actions spoke volumes. Back at the McLaren hospitality center, he changed and promptly set off for the hotel, to take in a few sets of tennis!

"It's a little bit like his deck chair incident in Brazil [in 2015] where he's saying a lot of things without actually saying anything," Brundle told Sky Sports News HQ.

"His actions rather than his words are saying 'I'm out of here, I'm going to chill out somewhere else'. He didn't get to the grid last time out in Russia, he's not really got up and running here. It's a horror story.

"He'll be back for Practice Two. He's contracted to be and it's the Spanish GP with his home fans here.

"He can't pick the spanners up and help change the engine, there's nothing to debrief on because he didn't do anything so instead of having a thousand questions why not clear off and get rid of some frustration on a tennis ball."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.