A 103rd podium for Alonso in Monaco, which equals Räikkönen

The 84 thousandths difference in qualifying on Saturday had the expected consequences this Sunday. Fernando Alonso, left behind Max Verstappen on the grid, failed to get the best of the Red Bull during the Monaco Grand Prix. The Spaniard finished 2nd in the Monaco round, his fifth podium of the 2023 season in six events! 

The double world champion had predicted that victory would be decided at the first corner, and the driver Aston Martin was not wrong. " It was hard ! We opted for the hard tires for the start, so we lost that opportunity [to overtake Verstappen] at the first corner, because of the short distance to braking, confided the Bull of Asturias. We had to play the long term with the strategy, but Max drove superbly well on the medium tires. »

A failed strategy for Alonso?

However, an opportunity presented itself to Aston Martin and Alonso when the rain fell on the Riviera circuit. The British team ultimately opted for too conservative a choice, putting on medium tires as the track became more and more humid. “On the lap we stopped, the track was completely dry except for turns 7 and 8. So why put in the intermediates? It was completely dry, on 99% of the track. »

The Spaniard had to return to the pits only a few minutes later to move on to the intermediates. A double stop which deprived Alonso of a first victory in more than ten years? “We didn't have our chance, and the rain made things complicated, admits the Aston Martin driver. It wasn't easy to drive. Never at full power throughout the lap, braking was very delicate, especially at turn 10. I'm surprised there was no Safety Car this year. »

With this 5th podium in 2023, Fernando Alonso becomes the equal of Kimi Räikkönen with a 103rd career podium. The Oviedo native also became the oldest driver to reach the podium in the Principality since 1970.

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