Alonso sees Alpine improving: "Closer to Mercedes and Red Bull"

Just before the new regulations for Formula 1 in 2022 will be implemented, Mercedes and Red Bull dominate again this year. Max Verstappen and his team have clearly come closer.

Behind them, McLaren and especially Ferrari have also made a big step forward this season, while Aston Martin and Alpine haven't seemingly improved. Yet Alpine driver Fernando Alonso says to Motorsport.com that this is not quite right.

Because with every season comes a certain level of expectation. Alonso had expected Ferrari to make strides, but McLaren, according to Alonso, is developing surprisingly quickly.

It seems too difficult for Alpine to take third place away from Ferrari or McLaren during the second half of the season. A fifth place seems to be the highest Alpine can achieve. But then the team of Esteban Ocon and Alonso will have to deal with AlphaTauri and Aston Martin.