Fan gives proof that Fernando Alonso would have won the Monaco GP if not for a huge Aston Martin blunder
Fernando Alonso came the closest he ever has this season to a win over the Red Bulls in Monaco.
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Fernando Alonso at the Monaco GP (Credits: Speedcafe.com)
The Monaco Grand Prix offered a tantalizingly close chance for someone on the grid to end Red Bull’s winning run this season. While Max Verstappen has won the race, an interesting idea has emerged on Reddit, claiming that Fernando Alonso might have won had it not been for a major miscalculation during his pit stop. Despite Red Bull team principal Christian Horner’s assertion that Verstappen would have won anyway, devoted fans have methodically scrutinized the facts and crafted an alternative narrative.
Monaco proved to be a captivating rollercoaster ride this season, with Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen starting as the favorites for the win after occupying the front row. Right from the start, they adopted different strategies. While Verstappen opted for medium compound tires, Alonso began the race on harder rubber. As the rain made its tardy entrance, chaos ensued both in the pit lane and on the track.
The rain showers initially hit certain parts of the circuit before gradually engulfing the entire track. Sensing an opportunity, Fernando Alonso decided to switch to medium tires, anticipating that the rain would soon relent. However, this proved to be an ill-fated call as he was forced to make an extra pit stop to switch to wet tires, costing him the equivalent of an entire pit stop in time. In contrast, Verstappen had made the correct choice of intermediates right from the outset.
Fernando Alonso had the chance to undercut Max Verstappen with intermediate tires
The fan theory suggests: ‘At lap 54, Alonso trailed Verstappen by 8.177 seconds. After a pit stop, the gap increased to 26.115 seconds due to time lost in the pit lane. However, Verstappen struggled on old tires, allowing Alonso to narrow the gap. When both drivers returned to the pits, the gap had fallen to 19.946 seconds, with Alonso gaining 6.159 seconds on fresh tires.’
‘Comparing sector times, the best times in sectors 1 and 2 were achieved by Bottas (24.529 seconds) and Hamilton (47.069 seconds), respectively. Combining these times, a theoretical gain of 12.5 seconds was calculated even before sector 3. It is estimated that Alonso would have gained 12-14 seconds overall on fresh intermediate tires, surpassing the 8.177-second gap needed to overtake Verstappen. Alonso was also in clean air, positioning him roughly 5 seconds behind Tsunoda and avoiding incidents involving other drivers. Thus, the data suggests Alonso could have comfortably undercut Verstappen by matching the pace of other drivers on intermediate tires.’
Max Verstappen dominated the Monaco GP, crossing the finish line over 27 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso, reigniting the “what if” debate surrounding the Spaniard’s tire choice. While Alonso secured second place, it marked his first time standing on the runner-up spot since Hungary 2014. Now, all eyes turn to Alonso’s home track in Spain, where he aims to break his winless streak of over a decade and close the 12-point gap to Sergio Perez in the championship standings. At the same time, Verstappen strengthens his lead over his teammate with his commanding victory in Monaco.
In case you missed it:
- “I’m so disappointed. I can’t describe it,” Yuki Tsunoda shattered after missing out on his maiden Monaco GP points
- Former F1 driver applauds Fernando Alonso’s unmatched motivation and positive spirit at Aston Martin
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Rohit Bhaskar
(727 Articles Published)