Fernando Alonso, driver of the Aston Martin F1 Team AMR24, believes that splitting the groups in Formula 1 qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix would help alleviate the traffic issues that led to his elimination in Q1. This is the second consecutive race in which Alonso’s weekend has been hindered by an early exit, forcing him to start the race from a lower position. Despite a strong final lap that would have taken him to 13th place, improvements from other drivers pushed him into the elimination zone, and he will now start in 16th place tomorrow. Alonso is convinced that he lost valuable time due to a competitor blocking him at the Nouvelle chicane and Rascasse, ultimately costing him the chance to advance.
Alonso expressed his frustration with the situation, acknowledging that he could have been on pole position or at least among the top seven or eight if it weren’t for the traffic. He explained that he lost three tenths of a second in turn 11 due to a car in front of him, and another two tenths in the final turn because three cars were starting their laps. He emphasized that there is no one to blame for the situation, as cars cannot simply disappear at the last moment. Alonso admitted that the disappointment of his elimination was compounded by the fact that he believes he could have led the first phase and had even more time to spare.
The Spaniard believes that the recurring traffic problem in Monaco could be solved by adopting the classification format used in Formula 2 and 3, where the session is divided into two segments. He expressed enthusiasm for this idea, noting that Monaco is an exciting and thrilling circuit, and it would be great to see everyone’s laps live to capture all the great moments. However, he also acknowledged that luck plays a role in qualifying, as he experienced last year when he was lucky to progress while some of the main competitors were eliminated. This time, luck was not on his side, and he ended up on the wrong side of the situation, along with Checo, who will start in 18th place.
Looking ahead to the race, Alonso accepted that his chances of scoring points are slim. His main goal is to avoid damage to the car and finish the race. He mentioned that this part of the season is crucial for bringing updates to the car, and the team’s stock of parts is limited. Therefore, his focus is on completing the race and preparing for the next stage in Canada.
