Fernando Alonso has voiced his surprise over the F1 title fight not containing multiple teams this year.
McLaren has enjoyed the most competitive start to the new season, winning seven out of the opening 10 rounds.
The Woking-based squad has pulled a mammoth lead in the constructors' championship and currently sits 175 points ahead of second-place Mercedes.
Oscar Piastri leads the drivers' standings ahead of team-mate Lando Norris, while Max Verstappen is the first non-McLaren driver in the championship, 43 points down.
With the fight seemingly between the McLaren competitors, Alonso is surprised more drivers are not involved in the battle at the end of the current regulation cycle.
“Yeah, I'm kind of surprised, yes,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365. “I think I was expecting a very tight fight.
“It's true that it’s a very tight field, but maybe not so much the number one car, the McLaren, is a little bit ahead of everyone.”
However, Alonso warned the current pecking order may not be set in stone for the remainder of the campaign.
“So yes, maybe surprising, but the championship is long,” he said.
“We saw in the last two seasons that it's not guaranteed that the second half of the season the same team will dominate.
“First half, yes McLaren dominated. The second, we will see, but for sure, they are the reference for everyone.”
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