• Chronicle Not even rain worries Verstappen in Monaco and Alonso finishes second

"You have asked me several times and I am surprised that you do. I guess from the TV you see a different race than from inside the car. The circuit was dry, or almost dry, at 90%. There was only water in a couple of curves. I had to enter the pits, I asked the team about the weather, they told me that it was not going to rain much and I decided to put dry tires. At the time I thought it was the right thing to do. Then everything changed in a minute, the rain intensified, but at that moment it was the right thing to do. He also had room to make a second stop. Max [Verstappen] would have won anyway because he was faster. I really couldn't beat him. The important thing is that I finished second in Monaco, that I got another podium. Now we have to celebrate instead of thinking about what would have happened if everything had been different."

What was Fernando Alonso talking about? Of the opportunity he had this Sunday to overtake Max Verstappen and celebrate the 33rd victory of his career in Formula 1 on the streets of Monaco. It was an unrealistic choice, just a guess, but it existed. "When it rains all decisions are complicated," argued the leader of Aston Martin and he was right. That does not mean that he had a remote chance of returning to the top of the podium 10 years later.

It happened after the hour of the race, when all the cars had already passed 50 laps through the famous Monte Carlo pool and faced the last section of the test. Until that moment there was no newsworthy movement. From pole, Max Verstappen had gained some advantage, Fernando Alonso bothered him with about 10 seconds and, behind both, Esteban Ocon had created a slow, very slow peloton. Then it started raining. Or at least to drop a few drops. In the area of the track further east, that is, on the Italian side, in the curves between the Casino and the tunnel, the water soaked the asphalt and almost all the drivers ran to the garage to place intermediate tires. There was no downpour, no one unsheathed the water tires, but it was already impossible to drive on slicks. There was only one driver who took the risk of doing it: Alonso. And the decision was not wise.

In an instant the drizzle became showery, some puddles were created, and the Aston Martin leader had to immediately return to his garage to reverse his bet. Victory, with so much time lost, was impossible. Thanks to Ocon's stopper, his second place was not in danger, but Verstappen was already unreachable. If Alonso had ridden rain tyres at his first stop, he might have appeared ahead of the Dutchman and won the race. Or maybe not. It was an unrealistic choice, just a guess, but it existed.


The support of your team

"Maybe I've been too conservative, I don't know," Alonso defended himself at a press conference somewhat annoyed with the matter. In fact, after the second question about his decision with the tires, he spoke with Verstappen and between them, with the start of the Indianapolis 500 as an excuse, they ended the interaction with journalists.

ANDREJ ISAKOVICAFP


Actually, Alonso had a strong argument: "The important thing is that I finished second in Monaco, that I got another podium." Beyond the hypothesis that would have led him to victory, the Spaniard was satisfied with his fifth podium in six races, although in his garage a party was not unleashed either. At the end of the test, the Aston Martin mechanics applauded and hugged, but there was more comfort than enthusiasm. That mistake weighed heavily. In fact, Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack regretted this and wanted to wrap Alonso up by sharing responsibilities: "When Fernando entered the pits there was some rain, but not enough, in our opinion. There was water in one part of the circuit, but it hadn't reached us. That's why we made that decision together. We thought the circuit would dry up fast. Equally nothing would have changed." "In Barcelona it will be difficult to opt for victory, but there will be more opportunities," said the director with the certainty that this Sunday they lost one of them.

One foot in the first drawer

Due to the characteristics of the track, the failure of Checo Pérez in qualifying and even the rain, it was a good time to break the iron dominance of Red Bull. Possibly the best. "I don't want to pressure myself or the team with a win. We have to keep our feet on the ground. Here we have seen that the Red Bull dominates in all circumstances. Next week, in Barcelona, I will fight again with the Ferraris and the Mercedes and maybe finish seventh or eighth. I'm not obsessed with victory," said Alonso, who despite some tension joked with his photo on the podium.

Tradition says that, at the end of the ceremony, the three protagonists climb into the first drawer and take a picture together, but due to the narrowness of Monaco they could not do so. Alonso finished with one foot on number 2 and another foot on number 1, which is rare. "I've already stepped on the first drawer more times, don't believe," he said.

JEFF PACHOUDAFP

With his second place and the disaster of Pérez, who had no chance of overcoming and finished sixteenth, Alonso was confirmed as a candidate, at least, to the runner-up of the World Championship. With six races played and still missing 16 tests, a barbarity, is third to only 12 points of the Mexican, although already 51 points of Verstappen. "With the points I have this year I would be leading other seasons, even seasons in which I ended up fighting for the title. In fact, there were years when I didn't have the fastest car and I still had chances to be champion, like in 2010 or 2012. The championship is very long and I can even approach Max if he has problems. This is sport, anything can happen, "predicted the Spaniard before leaving to see the misfortune of Alex Palou in the 500 miles of Indianapolis and forget the hypothesis. The option of a victory of his in Monaco was unrealistic, just a guess, but it existed.


  • Fernando Alonso
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