Fernando Alonso admits McLaren was too optimistic for Monaco GP
Fernando Alonso has accepted McLaren's high hopes for the Monaco Grand Prix weekend were "a bit optimistic" following Formula 1 qualifying on Saturday
While Alonso got through to Q3 for the second straight race, he could only finish the decisive session 10th fastest, which becomes ninth on the grid thanks to a penalty for Kimi Raikkonen.
McLaren had hoped the lack of dependence on engine performance in Monaco would allow it to get much closer to the frontrunners, but it has shown no signs of being able to live up to that target so far this weekend.
When asked if fighting higher up the field was a bit optimistic, Alonso said: "Perhaps a little bit, yeah, you don't know until you put the car on the track.
"Our predictions were a bit optimistic, but let's see if we can end on a high with some points.
"We had no specific targets but we were bit more optimistic than 10th, maybe P7, P8.
"We didn't have the pace all weekend, we struggled on Thursday too, lacking confidence on the front of the car.
"We expected a bit more here in Monaco with the low power."
Like many drivers, Alonso is hoping predictions of rain for the race come to fruition.
"Anything that can happen will help, we want a little bit of action," he said.
"If not it'll be a train of cars with the first corner dictating the positions.
"Rain, snow, anything really. Something to happen high up.
"We have nothing to lose. We need to attack and in races like this we have a good opportunity."
BUTTON: WE HAVEN'T DELIVERED
Team-mate Jenson Button failed to make it out of Q2, also struggling with the performance of the McLaren.
"In Q1 the car felt good, then when things warmed up the grip sort of went," said the 2009 world champion.
"Fernando's 10th, but still, we expected to be a lot higher up.
"The very clever people will be looking at why we're not there.
"We haven't delivered, my side of the garage just wasn't quick enough in Q2.
"It didn't feel quick either. Just didn't have the balance right."
'Miscalculation' caused Max Verstappen's Monaco qualifying crash
Monaco GP FIA qualifying press conference full transcript
From the GB3 title to the fight for an F1 test
Winning the 2022 GB3 title thrust BRDC SuperStar Luke Browning into contention for the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award. The 20-year-old reflects on his season and being an Awards finalist
Horner: Fine margins on 2022 compounds behind Perez’s F1 tyre struggles
Christian Horner believes Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 tyre struggles in 2022 may be down to the fine margins needed to optimise the new 18-inch compounds.
Watch Race Now – Le Mans Virtual Series, 500 Miles of Sebring
Watch the fourth round of the 2022 Le Mans Virtual Series which will take place at Sebring
KTM admits it "pushed too many great Moto2 riders to MotoGP too quickly"
KTM motorsport boss Pit Beirer admits the manufacturer has “pushed too many great Moto2 riders too quickly into MotoGP” as it revises its line-up for 2023.
How departing F1 boss Brawn views F1’s new rules - and the future
Multiple-title-winning designer and team boss Ross Brawn is finally leaving Formula 1 after nearly 50 years in motorsport. But he still has plenty of insights on what’s working and what comes next, as he revealed to Autosport in a far-reaching exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.
The physical focus bringing out the best of an F1 midfield star
Esteban Ocon likes to point out he’s the first driver since Lewis Hamilton to emerge from a spell as Fernando Alonso’s team-mate with a superior overall points record. While some may disagree, as LUKE SMITH discovered, the 2021 Hungarian GP winner reckons it’s not just luck which has made him France’s pre-eminent Formula 1 driver of the moment…
How Red Bull's dynamic leader shaped its F1 philosophy
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz last month has not only deprived Red Bull of its visionary founder, it has shorn Formula 1 of one of its most influential benefactors. Mateschitz himself was famously media-shy, preferring to let the brand do the talking on his behalf. And, while it’s now normal to speak of Red Bull F1 titles and champions made, Mateschitz never assumed it would be easy or even possible – as ANTHONY ROWLINSON discovered during this previously unpublished interview from 2006…
Can Mercedes break Formula 1's cycle of doom?
OPINION: Teams that have dominated for long periods throughout Formula 1's history often take years to get back to the top of the tree once they've slipped down. But it remains to be seen whether the same will happen to Mercedes after a challenging 2022 season
What hurt Perez most in his ill-fated fight for second in Abu Dhabi
Arguably the favourite in the battle to finish second best in 2022's Formula 1 standings, Sergio Perez's two-stop strategy at Abu Dhabi couldn't take him ahead of Charles Leclerc when the music stopped - and several key factors ultimately precluded him from the much-coveted runner-up spot
The Abu Dhabi momentum that can propel Leclerc and Ferrari to F1 2023 success
OPINION: Charles Leclerc achieved his target of sealing runner-up in the 2022 world championship with a masterful drive behind Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi. And that race contained key elements that may help him, and Ferrari, go one better in Formula 1 2023