Alonso: Monaco win was possible with minor Aston Martin change

Fernando Alonso reckons Aston Martin could have won the Monaco Grand Prix, if it had changed to the correct Intermediate tyres at his pit-stop.

Having been pipped to pole by less than a tenth by Max Verstappen in the Principality, Alonso ran second with both drivers on Medium tyres, as rain closed in.

The race was turned on its head on Lap 55 of 78, when a sudden deluge caught out some cars, with Alonso pitting for a fresh set of Medium tyres as Verstappen continued on.

However, on Alonso's out-lap, Verstappen clipped the barrier at Portier in the worsening conditions, with the Red Bull and Aston Martin both pitting for Intermediates at the end of the lap.

Aston Martin's computer simulations post-race indicated that had Alonso fitted Intermediates at his Lap 55 stop, he would have emerged in the lead, but Verstappen would go on to win, with Alonso taking the first of two-second places in the season - the other being another dry/wet race at Zandvoort.

The two-time champion believes that the race was a good learning curve for the team, and that the win was possible.

Alonso's near-misses

"They've had it in the past, but I think the team is maybe new to this," Alonso told media including RacingNews365 of Aston Martin fighting regularly for podiums at the start of the season.

"They had a couple of nice results as Force India and Racing Point, but to be regularly on the podium and fighting the other teams at the top level is new for many people I think.

"They enjoy it more than other teams and in previous experiences for me, it was contagious, and the energy was very nice to witness.

"[A win] was possible, probably in Monaco, it was the closest, maybe [with a] different tyre call change or in Zandvoort if we were in a different position on that restart.

"We had opportunities here and there, and I really believe that we deserve it more than anyone else this year."