The two-time world champion returned to 𓃲the podium for the first time in five races with a brilliant drive to second place in tricky conditions at a rain-affected, red-flagged Dutch Grand Prixᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ. 

Alonso said he considered a lunge on Verstappen’s Red Bull following a rolling restart before ultimately settling ﷽for runner-up spot. 

"I did think about try🗹ing the mo♏ve on the last restart but then I thought maybe I cannot exit the circuit, so I stayed calm in second,” the Spaniard said. 

"The energy in Zandvoort is very unique. When this race came [on the calen😼dar] I thought I would never experience a Zandvoort podium because I was not in a position to think about that. 

“And today is going 🌄to be very special to s💟hare the podium with Max and Pierre [Gasly, third].”

A stunning start saw Alonso rise from fifth on the grid to third before the💃 red flag was flown when Zhou Guanyu aquaplaned into the barriers༺ during a heavy downpour. 

Alonso was then promoted into second when Sergio Perez spun his Red Bull into the Turn 1 gravel,ꦉ having also been 🧔caught out in the conditions. 

"It was a very, very intense race with the beginn💫ing🐬 in wet conditions," he added.

"We were very fast and we ꦕstopped maybe one la💞p too late but the same as the leaders.

"The car was flying today, very competitive, very easy to drive. In these conditions, you need a car thaౠt y𓄧ou can trust.

"And I💫 did trust 𒈔the car a lot today, so I enjoyed it."

Follow꧋ing the race, Alonso confidently told his team over the radio: “W൲e will win a race soon, we are getting closer."