Mercedes favourite for Monaco: Alonso

Ferrari driver confident over his team’s chances as well.

Mercedes driver Fernando Alonso believes Mercedes could possibly win the next Grand Prix in Monaco after Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton dominated the qualifying at the last three races, according to ESPNF1.

Mercedes have faced excess tyre wear during races which has hindered them from converting the hat-trick of pole positions they have obtained since the Chinese Grand Prix. However, Alonso thinks their luck could change as the slow and twisty nature of the Monte Carlo street circuit could mean that taking the pole position would be enough for Mercedes to win the race that takes place in two weeks’ time.

“They will arrive as favourites for Monaco,” said Alonso. “They’ve been on pole position for the last three races, they were on pole last year with Michael [Schumacher]’s lap, so it would be a surprise if they weren’t on pole position in Monaco.”

However, Alonso still had hopes for Ferrari’s competitive edge.

“I’m confident for Monte Carlo. Looking at the last three years, even when we were not competitive in Monte Carlo, we always managed to be on the podium, more or less, in a consistent way so that’s the aim for this year as well.”

Mercedes mystified by lack of race pace

On the other hand, Mercedes urged their Formula One technical boffins to ‘think outside the box’ and consider the unconsidered after the Spanish Grand Prix left the team baffled by their cars’ lack of pace.

“This is not about a car or a team struggling with lacking pace, a car where you end up 15th on Saturday and then 12th or 16th on Sunday,” said Wolff.

“It’s about everybody in the team sticking their heads together and saying let’s analyse what we do from a Saturday to a Sunday. Is there anything we need to be looking at which we haven’t yet.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.