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          Twitter sees the funny side of Fernando Alonso's engine issue at Brazilian Grand Prix

          Peter J Fox/Getty Images
          • Laurence EdmondsonNov 14, 2015, 09:42 PM
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              • Joined ESPN in 2009
              • An FIA accredited F1 journalist since 2011

          Fernando Alonso's engine failure on his second lap of qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix left the Spaniard frustrated but went viral on social media.

          After being ordered to stop the car on his first flying lap in Q1, Alonso sat down in a trackside chair and soaked up the sun while the rest of the session took place. The images of Alonso were instantly shared on Twitter and soon the hashtag #PlacesAlonsoWouldRatherBe opened up a vein of creativity from F1 fans (see below).

          After the session, Alonso said: "It was beautiful weather and when I saw the medical car turn up [to take me back to the pits], I said 'Maybe half an hour more?' But aside from the jokes, I think the frustration of not being a part of qualifying is high.

          "I didn't take part in the race in Mexico and now the qualifying here. It's a tough period, but we need to learn from all our problems and mistakes and go from there."

          Honda's F1 boss Yasuhisa Arai said the engine had overheated, but the reasons why were not yet clear.

          "The issue with Fernando's power unit during his Q1 timed lap is still under investigation and the details are as yet unknown. We made a decision to stop the car due to an unexpected water temperature rise in the engine. It's very disappointing as the power unit showed no prior signs of this anomaly this morning and was performing well."

          Twitter's reaction was a little more upbeat...