Fernando Alonso believes he can finally apply pressure on Max Verstappen in the Canadian Grand Prix after claiming the Red Bull driver has had a run of “very easy wins”.
Verstappen goes into the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the back of three successive victories and starts from pole as he bids to chalk up his 41st F1 career win that would equal the achievement of the late Ayrton Senna.
Whilst Verstappen had to come from ninth on the grid to take the chequered flag in Miami, he was not troubled in either Monaco or Barcelona, with his winning margin 28 and 24 seconds respectively.
With an upgraded Aston Martin, it appeared Alonso was in a position to trouble Verstappen during qualifying, only for the weather to intervene and for the two-time champion to qualify third behind the Dutch polesitter.
Alonso, however, now starts on the front row alongside Verstappen after Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg’s superb performance in claiming second on the grid was negated by a three-place penalty for driving too quickly in red-flag conditions.
Even speaking prior to the penalty being awarded to Hulkenberg, Alonso said: “We have a chance to put some pressure.
Secure your spot today.
“I think they (Red Bull) had very easy wins until now and hopefully they have to push a little bit more.”
As to how close he felt he could get to Verstappen, Alonso replied: “Two seconds behind them. Not 20 seconds behind them.”
Whilst it is one thing being able to apply pressure, it will be another denying Verstappen his moment in F1 history in equalling Senna’s wins tally.
The 41-year-old is sceptical, adding: “Let’s see if we can challenge Max a little bit in a dry race.
“I don’t think we are at that level, that’s for sure, but in a state of being 20 seconds behind or 30 seconds behind, hopefully, we are a little bit closer.”
The upgrades would certainly appear to be playing their part, although Alonso claims it is “early days” and they are “still under evaluation”.
“We still need to optimise a little bit the set-up of the car now with the new package, which is what we found (in Friday practice),” said Alonso.
“I think in Austria or Silverstone (the next two grands prix) we will extract the maximum of it. But happy. The new parts were good and delivering what we were expecting.”
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