He will come out second with the current champion as the only objective. “I can’t overtake you,” he proclaims with caution at its best. Actually, he can attack in various ways.
«I have always trusted my riding, sometimes even too much. I know there are many fans new to Formula 1 who have been hooked on Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’. Those people have only seen me fighting for points or even worse, retiring with smoke coming out of the back of my car. I understand that they are surprised by my season, but I have always believed.
There it is. Who Fernando Alonso? He is that pilot who, with 41 years in his hands, is capable of pushing himself against his own limits max verstappen, the champion of this generation, a talent in a state of grace. “I have always believed that he was still fast,” the Spaniard claimed this Saturday after placing second on the grid in Monaco only behind Verstappen himself, who needed a miracle to snatch pole position. Later, he acted accordingly: there was no party or anything like that.
In the Aston Martin garage, Alonso’s second place had caused a certain euphoria, the celebration of his mechanics, but as soon as the driver appeared, everyone returned to their work. Concentration. Silence. The message? A second place in qualifying, even one just eight hundredths behind Verstappen, was never the goal. The goal is to win the race on the streets of Monte Carlo this Sunday (3:00 p.m., DAZN) and it is not impossible. “I have an opportunity,” Alonso acknowledged, although he soon lowered expectations.
It is the strategy that has been carried over this year since the first race in Bahrain: the Aston Martin shines, it is a car to enjoy, but the pressure of a victory can be exaggerated for a team that comes from where it comes from. Caution is the only way. “I’m not thinking of overtaking Max in the first corner and I don’t think he can overtake him in the race. My chance is to wait for his mistake. That he suffers a mechanical failure, that he makes a mistake in strategy, that he makes a mistake… The races in Monaco seem boring, they seem easy, but it is difficult to keep the car in one piece for so many laps, “analyzed Alonso, a teacher at the art of making statements
Alonso’s chances
Because, even if he watered down the wine in front of the microphones, even if he aborted the party among his own, the two-time Formula 1 champion knows that this time he can challenge Verstappen on the asphalt. For the first time this year. Maybe for the last time this year. Due to the narrowness and slowness of the Monegasque circuit, overtaking is very difficult, but it is also impossible for the Red Bull to run at its maximum and, without that difference in power, anything can happen.
In qualifying, in fact, Alonso always led Verstappen in the first two sectors of the track and only lost in the last one, when you can accelerate the most. The Spaniard can consider an attack on the first lap, an overtaking in the pits, a race waiting for the degradation of the last few laps… Not counting the appearance of red flags or even rain. The forecasts warn that it could rain this Sunday in the Principality at the time of the race, although this Saturday the teams warned that this is not certain.
“Honestly, I don’t care if it rains. I want a dry race and no incidents, because history here in Monaco says that starting from the front row there are many options to finish on the podium and that would be a great result”, proclaimed Alonso, who was not playing at the time. with his words.
Threats to Spanish
In none of the five previous races this season did the Spaniard start with so many options to finish in the top three. In Jeddah and in Miami he already started from second place, but on both occasions he was threatened; not this sunday At the Saudi Arabian circuit, Verstappen started ninth and fifteenth at the American track, both times with room to come back. This time Checo Perez he starts twentieth because of an accident in Q1 and it would be a feat if he reaches the podium in the narrow streets of Monte Carlo, even if he finishes in the top five.
In fact, Alonso’s main danger in his assault on Verstappen was charles leclerc and finally it will not be. In his case, the Monegasque set the third best time in the classification, but hours later, already at night in the Principality, he was penalized for hindering the fast lap of some opponents and will start sixth. In his place, in the second line, will be Esteban Ocon, Saturday’s surprise, and a Carlos Saintz harmed by traffic in the classification. Both will try, but neither has the pace of the top two contenders. “I have an opportunity,” Alonso admitted. Wow if he has it.
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