The 2023 season was decided long before the chequered flag was waved in Abu Dhabi. But now that the season is officially done and dusted, let’s look back at some of the most exciting bits from the year. Speaking of excitement, in the world of F1, what is more exciting than some high-speed wheel-to-wheel action on the track that brings everyone to the edge of their seats? So why not look at some of the most incredible overtakes of the year? Oh, and who better to set the scene than Aston Martin man Fernando Alonso?

The Spaniard is the most experienced driver in the history of the sport, with an incredible 380 races under his belt. Breaking all stereotypes, Alonso truly proved age is just a number and cemented it with his seven podiums in 2023. However, credit where credit is due; his revival in 2023 wouldn’t have been possible without the leap Aston Martin took during the winter break. The AMR23 enabled Alonso to showcase his talent and two decades’ worth of experience behind the single-seater, which he used to produce some of the most incredible overtaking maneuvers during the season. So, let’s look at Alonso’s top overtakes in the season.

2023 was Fernando Alonso’s overtaking world, and everyone else was just living in it

While there were many instances where the Spaniard had to showcase his superior race craft on the track, there were some that stood out from the rest. But here is what we think were the best among the rest in no particular order as a matter of personal opinion and not general perception or vote.

1. Bahrain GP: Fernando Alonso vs Lewis Hamilton

The first on the list is Alonso’s overtake on his old teammate and foe Lewis Hamilton. The first on the list is also from the opening race of the season in Bahrain, where Alonso overtook Hamilton on the inside of turn 10 with a classic switcheroo, rolling back the years and making the seven-time world champion look like a rookie in front of him once again. The move on the Mercedes even earned the Spaniard the Crypto Overtake of the Month award and his first podium of the season.

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While collecting the award in Australia, the nonchalant Spaniard confessed, “Few corners before that, I think I prepared the overtake already, and I had a faster car probably, better tires. It was not that difficult, let’s say.”

Talk about confidence. Moving on, let’s look at another piece of brilliance from Alonso.

2. Azerbaijan GP: Fernando Alonso vs Carlos Sainz

Second on the list, and to reiterate in no particular order, is Alonso’s overtake on fellow countryman Carlos Sainz. Alonso’s overtake on Sainz also won him the Overtake of the Month award for the second month in a row in April. He overtook the Ferrari man on the streets of Baku during the Azerbaijan GP, in which he finished P4 ahead of the Ferrari driver.

Alonso’s overtake was risky and bold, but it was extremely important as he went on the inside of Sainz to gain a position on a difficult street circuit. The move was necessary, according to Alonso, to get some clean air in front of him after the Safety Car restart, hence the risky dive on the inside. However, it worked and earned him the award.

3. Canadian GP: Fernando Alonso vs Lewis Hamilton

The Spaniard went head-to-head with the Mercedes champion once again in Canada, which earned him his third Overtake of the Month award. Alonso opened his DRS flaps, dove to the inside before the corner, and took the second position away from Hamilton.

Alonso made the move a few corners before the start-finish line on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Aston Martin man made the move stick until the very last and stood on the second step of the podium, earning his second P2 of the season and concluding an incredible weekend for him and his team.

Read More: 22 Years of Experience Led to Fernando Alonso’s Tactical Avoidance of “Ferrari Time” Horrors

4. Brazilian GP: Fernando Alonso vs Sergio Perez

Perhaps the most incredible one out of the lot from Alonso was his last lap last-ditch attempt on Sergio Perez. To paint the picture, Perez was fighting with Hamilton for the P2 spot in the Driver’s Championship. The Red Bull man also had a point to prove, as a lot of questions were being raised about his race craft with a slew of poor results.

Trying to make his mark at the Brazilian GP, starting from P9, Perez was going through the field in his superior RB19 for the better half of the race. However, Alonso was in his resurgent AMR23, running comfortably in P3 (after qualifying in P4) for most of the race.

Toward the very end, Perez gained and gained and gained and made a move on Alonso in the penultimate lap of the 71-lap race and overtook him. Perez was ahead and running in P3 to secure the final podium place in the race to complete an incredible fightback. However, Alonso had different plans.

The Spaniard did not give up and returned the favor on the 71st lap of the race. He overtook Perez and defended his position right till the very end. The fight was close enough for a photo finish as only 0.053 seconds separated the two. The incredible last lap fight back from Alonso and his defense makes this his best overtake of the season for us.

However, this racing action was so good we had to witness it twice.

5. Las Vegas GP: Charles Leclerc vs Sergio Perez

Last but not least, the fifth on the list does not feature Alonso but Perez, as the Mexican experienced a sense of deja vu just two weeks after the tussle with Alonso.

The Mexican suffered the same fate in one of the most entertaining races of the season – the first-ever Las Vegas GP. Perez botched his qualifying once again and started the race from P11 and was expected to repeat the laborious task of going through the field, just as he did in Brazil.

However, during the race on the Las Vegas Street Circuit, he had to battle it out with Ferrari man Charles Leclerc for a position. The Monegasque went wide at Turn 12 on the 43rd lap of the 50-lap race and handed the P2 spot to Perez, who had been hounding him for much of the race.

Showcasing tremendous bravery on the last lap of the race, running closely behind Perez, the Monegasque braked incredibly late after the DRS zone overtook Perez on the inside of the corner and secured an all-important P2 in the race. Leclerc caught the Mexican napping and handed him the same disappointment as Alonso in Brazil.

WATCH THIS STORY: Fernando Alonso revives tradition, ends 4-week drought, celebrates triumph

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