Alonso: Fourth the maximum we could do

2014 Monaco Grand Prix

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Fernando Alonso believes his fourth place finish at today’s Monaco Grand Prix was the best result the team could have achieved.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Alonso dropped to sixth on the first lap after suffering from an issue with his car’s ERS.

“We had an electric problem on the ERS side and we didn’t have the horsepower at the start and along the first straight,” said Alonso.

“Luckily here, there’s not a lot of places to overtake, so I was able to keep positions.”

After Sebastian Vettel retired in the early stages due to a gearbox problem, Alonso spent the majority of the race behind Daniel Ricciardo but was unable to pressure the Red Bull for the final podium position in the later stages.

“The race seemed very tough for us,” said Alonso. “We had some luck and overtook some guys so I think fourth was the maximum we could do today.

“The first three were very, very fast and showed their potential straight away, while Ricciardo showed his potential at the end. There was no threat from behind so, to be honest, it was a little bit less fun than expected as I was racing alone all race.”

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Will Wood
Will has been a RaceFans contributor since 2012 during which time he has covered F1 test sessions, launch events and interviewed drivers. He mainly...

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50 comments on “Alonso: Fourth the maximum we could do”

  1. Maximum for them was 3rd. Without Kimi’s puncture (it was a puncture, right?), they would’ve finished in the podium.

    1. Could’ve. We don’t know how quick Raikkonen would have been over the last couple of laps. Ricciardo probably would’ve been all over him.

      1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
        25th May 2014, 21:23

        @me4me in Monaco to be rigth behind another driver usually ends up in 2 possible ways:
        a. Nothing happens
        b. retirement of one or both drivers (Kimi and Magnussen, and I remember Trulli or Fisico breaking suspension in an overtake in the hairpin)

    2. Yeah, who knows they might even have had a solid chance at Hamilton with Kimi

    3. The “We” may not include the other side of the garage.

      1. @spoutnik: Yes, that seems the normal way of using “We” for F1 drivers.

    4. My first thought as well.

  2. Right but only because 1) Dani’s bad start, along with Kimi’s superb one 2) Seb’s mech failure and 3) this is Monaco and overtaking is very hard. In any other race the Red Bulls would have finished well ahead of the Ferraris.

    1. Sorry was @ferno65

  3. LOL. No mention by Alonso of Kimi’s probable p3 or better, till his back was hit by chilton. If you watch the start, Alonso fought hard to push Kimi aside but RAI was just more feisty.

  4. No. 3rd was the maximum. Alonso is the driver that i dislike the most because of his too damn big ego. Didn’t he notice Kimi going past him at the start? And then he was doing faster lap times than Alonso. Also why wasn’t the Marussia penalized who caused Kimi’s puncture? And how come didn’t marshals see anything, Ferrari see anything and the cameras didn’t see anything? Somebody is keeping something a secret here.

    1. Well, if he starts from pole he would have won the race. From HIS position on lap one, on a track that overtaking is a rarity, is was the maximum he could achieve.

      IF his start were better, like Kimi’s one was, than the maximum would be something better.

      C’mom, it’s not that hard.

    2. The TV feed may not have shown the contact, but the nose cam on Chilton’s car and the rear cam on Kimi’s would have.

    3. @estF1: And why wasn’t Kimi penalized for the move on Mag, which put him the embarrassing situation that he couldn’t even get the car round through the corner?

    4. @estf1

      Didn’t he notice Kimi going past him at the start?

      Alonso’s start was better anyway but he got boxed between the two Red Bulls.

    5. Alonso was saving tyres. Raikkonen was 7.3 secs ahead at one point but Alonso closed that down to just 2.3 at the time of the safety car. Alonso’s tactic for the last 3 years at Monaco have been just that. I think if not for the safety car, he might’ve jump DR and probably KR.

    6. So you dislike Alonso? Well now I understand your comment… If Ferrari is having any good result it is thanks to him (and Kimi sometimes although he is not having any luck) not because of the owful car they put together this year.

  5. Was I dreaming or was Kimi in 3rd until some bad luck?

    Fourth may be the best Fred could achieve but his teammate could have landed a podium.

    1. As @spoutnik said, the “We” may not include the other side of the garage.

    2. Could have, maybe… yeah right kimi was in the garage at the end of the race. Once again.

  6. People forget that Alonso had a better start than Kimi but got boxed in between the two Red Bulls.

    Although yes, although RBR had more pace than FIAT today, with track position either Alonso or Raikkonen would probably have beaten Ricciardo.

    1. He was also having an ERS failure at the start just like in Australia and during the first lap

  7. I don’t think Ferrari needs a driver like Alonso. He criticizes all the time his car even though he was able to fight for the championship in 2010 and 2012 (and he could’ve won without some mistakes)! The Ferrari was the second best car during the last four years (the McLaren was only good in 2010 and always broken in 2012).

    Why is he complaining so much? I don’t think he is “overdriving” his car. Hamilton didn’t complain that much when he didn’t have the best car in 2011 – 2012 – 2013, and Vettel is not complaining this year. I think that with another driver Ferrari might do better. I hope Vettel goes to Ferrari in 2 or 3 years and proves that the team is able to win the WCC and WDC.

    1. Hamilton didn’t complain that much when he didn’t have the best car in 2011 – 2012 – 2013, and Vettel is not complaining this year.

      LOL, that proves that you selectively filter driver quotes to suit you.

      Anyway if Alonso couldn’t win the championship with the F2012, then no one could. He drove better than anyone else that season.

      As for Vettel, he had the 2nd best car in 2009 and has the 2nd best car this year. We’ll see just how well he does.

    2. Dude, did you watch F1 between 2010 and 2013 ?!??!?! Ferrari the 2nd best car in the last 4 years ?!?!?!?! Maybe because ALO made it look like the 2nd best car… but the car wasn’t !!!!!! Remember that in the last part of 2012 the performance fight was between RBR and McLaren, Ferrari being 0.5seconds off the pace ?!?! Remember how competitive Lotus was in Grosjean’s hands in the last part of 2013 and was a podium contender every race ?!?! Remember how the fight for the 1st row in the whole 2013 season was JUST between RBR and Mercedes ?!?!

      1. @francorchamps17

        I think that with another driver Ferrari might do better.

        Didn’t people say the same about Raikkonen? “With Kimi in the team Ferrari will do better”. How did that turn out again? Some people never learn.

        1. @kingshark SOME people said that. But I was not part of them and for me it was clear that Fernando is better (and Kimi is a little bit old now). But put Hamilton or Vettel in that Ferrari, it would be interesting (well, Lewis already beat Alonso in his rookie year…).

          1. @francorchamps17
            Beating Ricciardo would be a good first step, although I would relish to see any version of Vettel go up against early 2012-form Alonso.

          2. Corrado (@)
            26th May 2014, 5:11

            I agree with the part of having Vettel or Hamilton alongside Alonso in the same car… things will be interesting, like they’re now between HAM and ROS. I’m partially subjective, I know, but the 2007 fight took place at McLaren, remember. Lewis was RDennis’ protegee since the karting years, then a British driver (in a British car)… so you bet he got FULL support from every member of the team.

    3. @francorchamps17

      The Ferrari was the second best car during the last four years

      I’m seriously wondering if you have been watching F1 in the last 4 years.
      2010 : F10 good car overall but was slower than the RB6 and the MP4-25 (with the F-duct)
      2011 : F150 slower than both the RB7 and the MP4-26 and it was unable to generate heat into the tyres
      2012 : F2012 at the first 4 races was a dog of a car then it improved through the season but still slower than the RBR,Mclaren,Lotus sometimes even Sauber and Williams
      2013 : F138 was a solid car before the tyre change but still slower than RBR,Mercedes and even Lotus

      I think that with another driver Ferrari might do better

      Why this wasn’t the case with Raikkonen, if Alonso wasn’t in Ferrari in the last 4 years, Ferrari would have been probably fighting with Sauber and Force India

      1. What was in your opinion the second best car behind the RB during the last four years? I think we can agree that Hamilton and Alonso are both close in performance, and Hamilton had no chance for the title in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (3 years) while Alonso had a chance in 2010 and 2012. The Ferrari has always been VERY reliable and was never a disaster like the 2013 McLaren…

        1. You make it sound like Hamilton was driving that disaster 2013 McLaren, which of course he was not.

      2. @tifoso1989

        if Alonso wasn’t in Ferrari in the last 4 years, Ferrari would have been probably fighting with Sauber and Force India

        This just shows how much Alonso’s accomplishments are exaggerated.

        Even if we ignore the WCC points Alonso gathered during 2010-2013 and assume that his replacement driver would’ve scored as many points as Felipe Massa, we can notice the following:
        – Ferrari’s WCC position in 2010 and 2011 remains the same
        – Ferrari’s WCC position in 2012 and 2013 is one place worse than in reality (they drop behind Lotus)
        – The combined WCC points haul of Force India and Sauber is less than Ferrari’s every season (in fact in 2010 and 2011 Massa alone gathered more points than those two teams combined)

        Alonso has without a doubt done well during the last four seasons, but let’s stay realistic, shall we? ;)

    4. The only reason why Alonso didn’t win the championship was because of Ferrari’s strategic calls. And please tell me when this season vettel has said anything positive about his car

      1. Is there anything positive to say about the car in the first place? I rather to hear the honest truth than to hear praise of the car when it is not function as it is supposed to be. If such, he would sound more like a hypocrite.

        1. I don’t think there’s too much of a problem with the RB10 other than the power unit. The car seems pretty well aerodynamically, to me it seems like vettlel is having trouble getting to grips with the handling of the car

          1. There’s about as many positive things about Vettel’s Red Bull this year as about Alonso’s Ferrari’s in the past four years. You didn’t see Alonso crying over the radio all the time when he was constantly slower than the Red Bulls.

    5. DK (@seijakessen)
      25th May 2014, 23:58

      God you’re dense. Ferrari hasn’t produced a great car since before the 2009 rule change. They’re not about to produce another any time soon given how horrible the organizational structure in Maranello is nowadays. If Alonso is not driving a Ferrari, they don’t come as close as they did to a world championship in 2010 or 2012. The F138 was an absolute dog. This year’s challenger is another average design.

    6. Hamilton didn’t complain that much when he didn’t have the best car in 2011 – 2012 – 2013, and Vettel is not complaining this year.

      @francorchamps17

      Dont talk rubbish. Hamilton made it clear as well when his car wasn’t up to the mark .. in fact he was much more harsh on the team radio whenever his engineers or team screwed up.

      Vettel… well.. it doesn’t matter what Vettel says. Unlike Alonso, Vettel cannot get the most out of a non dominant car. So I was Ferrari, I would pick a driver who complains but still puts in stellar performances in a mediocre car, as compared to a driver who doesn’t complain but cannot get the most out of a mediocre car.

    7. Alex Ferrari
      26th May 2014, 13:11

      Alonso is not a true leader. Schumacher would never complain about the team in public. Alonso is really worried only about his reputation and image.

    8. All best pilots always complained about bad car.
      Depending on you age… you could start from Prost, Senna and continue to Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel.
      Vettel blamed chassis, engine. Hamilton is now blaming whole team. All champions are blamers.

  8. Mr win or lose
    25th May 2014, 23:12

    Alonso did a good job, but why didn’t he pit for fresh tyres some 20-30 laps before the end of the race? He had nothing to lose and then he might have challenged Ricciardo in the closing stages.

    1. For some reason the article leaves out the piece of the interview where Alonso explains he only had brakes on the right hand side for the last part of the race. Tyres weren’t the issue.

      1. Mr win or lose
        25th May 2014, 23:33

        Ok thanks, I didn’t know that. I was wondering during the race why he didn’t pit, but now I understand he was nursing an issue.

  9. Damage control from Alonso. However to slice it this is not where Ferrari want to be. In all fairness, Fernando can’t say anything else but at least they have moved on from their disastrous form in Bahrain.
    Had to feel abit sorry for Kimi Raikkonen, he was never blessed with much luck in this sport and always seems to be fighting with one hand tied behind his back. Hoping his luck improves in Montreal.

  10. To put a FIAT in the 4th place in Monaco is obviusly the maximum they could do.

    What should worries FIAT right now it is their image as brand, to pay a huge amount of money for that kind of technology is difficult to justify.

  11. Nick Veneris
    27th May 2014, 11:37

    So, I guess that Alonso was pleased with his fourth position. Ok , that is a fair guess, because Mercedes are the dominant force right now, due to their 80 HP “bonus” of their much more efficient than the ferrari’s one engine. But i think and ferrari would agree with me, that lots of pre – season mistakes have been made, and until Silverstone they will be corrected by the electronics update. That would make ferrari more competitive and fight with their talented drivers against mercedes. Of course some design updates must be made to make the car more aeroynamically efficient. So, all of the team’s members must work together to make the care competitive. We’ll see if ferrari can claim a win or two in that rather indifferent campaign for them and why not, make it a lot more interresting
    e

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