Verstappen peaked at the right time: 'Was outrageous'

Martin Brundle enjoyed qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix immensely. The former Formula One driver and Sky Sports commentator saw several drivers go above and beyond. There was plenty of praise for Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.

"Verstappen's final lap to take pole position was simply electric," Brundle said in his column for Sky Sports. Alonso was faster in a number of corners all weekend in his AMR23, forcing Verstappen to take considerable risks to secure pole position. "His final sector of that lap was outrageous and that qualifying hour will be referred to for some time to come in F1 circles."

It was one of the more exciting qualifying sessions of Monaco and of late in Formula 1 anyway. One surprise was Esteban Ocon. The Frenchman suddenly drove the fourth fastest time and only had to concede two tenths to pole-sitter Verstappen. "In many ways, Ocon's qualifying lap was every bit as impressive as Verstappen's and Alonso's," he said. Due to a grid penalty for Charles Leclerc, the Alpine driver started third, also where he finished Sunday.

Could Alonso have finished ahead of Verstappen?

Verstappen drove to victory from pole position relatively easily, but what if Alonso had gone straight to intermediates at his first pit stop instead of mediums? Would the Aston Martin driver then have finished ahead of Verstappen, who went in a lap later? Brundle thinks not.

"Speaking with both teams and hearing Alonso after the race it is unlikely he would have won had he gone straight to intermediates tyres, for which he had to pit just a lap later at the same time as Verstappen, but it would have given Red Bull a major fright and he would have been so close for track position in the lead." The advantage Alonso would have had in that case was that he would already have more temperature than Verstappen in his tyres. That could possibly have caused problems in Max's outlap.