Fernando Alonso at Monza @RacePictures

Verstappen is powerless? Alonso ramps up the pressure on McLaren

17:22, 23 Sep

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byNorberto Mujica

Fernando Alonso believes the Drivers' Championship fight is out of Max Verstappen's control.

Photo: Race Pictures

It depends on McLaren, not so much on Max's performance, unfortunately.

- Fernando Alonso

When asked if he believed Verstappen was indeed back in the title fight following the Dutchman's victory in Azerbaijan, he pointed to the responsibility of taking the title lying on McLaren's doorstep.

"It depends on McLaren, not so much on Max's performance, unfortunately," he said.

With regard to his own outing in Baku, Alonso spoke about his reaction to Oscar Piastri's lap 1 crash.

"I mean those moments, every movement that is happening in front of you, obviously sometimes you react and [I] unfortunately reacted to Oscar.

"But, I don't think that it did change my race at all. We were at a very slow pace and the final position, I think, is exactly the same."

Alonso eventually reached the chequered flag in P15, with no reliability issues and no race neutralisations – something the Spaniard believes only happens when he and Aston Martin have something to fight for.

"Sure, like always. We have the worst car and nothing happened. No safety car, no yellow flags, no reliability problems.

"Only happens when we are at the front, but this is the trend of this year and we have to take it," Alonso concluded, not for the first time pointing out the bad luck he's had this season.

Alonso and Hamilton disagree on Verstappen's title chances

While Alonso believes McLaren is far too superior for Verstappen to have a realistic shot at the title, Hamilton was of a different opinion.

After the race in Baku, highlighting the floor upgrade Red Bull had brought to Monza, the seven-time World Champion said he expected Red Bull Racing to win all the remaining races.

Oscar Piastri, the Championship leader, instead chose to downplay Verstappen's potential role in the title fight, contrary to McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella who affirmed the Dutchman was back in the fight for the title.

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