Alonso: ‘Yes! Our speed is that slow’

Editor

Fernando Alonso believes Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were left "confused" by the lack of pace he has in his McLaren-Honda.

With 40 grid places worth of engine penalties to contend with, qualifying was a lost cause for Alonso who was knocked out in Q1 for the first time this season.

But, during that first session, there was confusion out on track with Ricciardo, who Alonso felt that he must have thought he was on a slow lap.

“[It was] the same with Max [Verstappen] yesterday,” said Alonso.

“I think the start of the lap probably they get confused, because our speed is that slow, that they think probably we go to the pit lane, we are in a slow lap.”

“But no, this is our speed, we are starting a timed lap, is the way it is. I think they get surprised a little bit.

"They overtake me in the first corner, I overtake them in the second corner, and we both lose the laps, yesterday and today.”

“It didn’t have any impact because it was in the beginning of the session when the tyres are cold and I think we both set the fastest laps at the end of the run, so that was OK.

I’m sorry if they are confused because of our speed but that’s the way it is.”

Alonso is now left hoping that he can be the one to take full advantage of a chaotic, long race.

“We’ve never been in the top ten so far in the any of the sessions so I guess tomorrow is also going to be difficult for us,” he added.

“We saw on the practice many incidents, many things going on in this circuit.

"We need to keep focused, we need to keep the concentration very high, away from the walls, and hopefully finish the race in a good result.”