Fernando Alonso says he is preparing for a “crazy” Monaco GP and believes the iconic street circuit will act as a performance leveller to leave the race “like throwing a dice”. Alonso has won twice around Monaco’s twists and turns and is making his return to the race after missing the 2017 edition in order to compete in the Indy 500. McLaren have underwhelmed in F1 2018 after switching from Honda to Renault power, but Alonso has finished in the points in every race so far and is seventh in the Drivers’ Championship. The Spaniard thinks Monaco’s unique characteristics can enable McLaren to be in a good position to score further points. “It’s one of the most technically challenging circuits of the year simply because of the level of skill and concentration you need to get around lap after lap 78 times, as well as negotiating the traffic, strategy, weather and everything else this crazy race throws at you,” Alonso said.
“For sure, we know the limitations of our package, and a slow-speed track such as this requires a totally unique set-up compared to anywhere else on the calendar, but it’s up to everyone to adapt and get the most out of our equipment. “Monaco is one of those tracks that tends to level the playing field a little and it’s a bit like throwing a dice. As we saw in Spain, even if you qualify well it doesn’t mean you won’t fall victim to drama which can change things around. “So, we need to maximise everything on Saturday, and then fight hard on Sunday to earn as many points as possible.”
McLaren suffered a double retirement in Monaco in 2017 but it was the scene of their joint-best result during their failed Honda partnership when Alonso finished fifth in 2016. The former world champions were encouraged by the improved performance their Spanish GP upgrades made and with straight-line speed less critical in Monte Carlo, racing director Eric Boullier believes there is everything to play for. “It goes without saying that reliability is a key factor in Monaco, and since there tends to be a fair amount of drama, finishing the race with both cars intact is the first step,” he said.
“As for points, anything can happen and we’ll be battling hard as always – with reliability, a good strategy and two drivers that know this track well, it’s all to play for.”
