“I was surprised there was no safety car” - Fernando Alonso lauds other F1 drivers after finishing P2 in the 2023 Monaco GP

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso finished second in the 2023 Monaco GP, missing out on an ever-elusive 33rd victory in the sport. The Spaniard started the race in P2 after narrowly missing out on pole position to race-winner Max Verstappen on Saturday.

Alonso drove flawlessly on the streets of Monte Carlo, showcasing his vast experience in the sport. The race saw its fair share of chaos in the form of a sudden shower of rain at the end of the event, with teams rushing to box for new tires. Despite the rain, the race saw no safety cars or red flags, with Alonso lauding his fellow drivers for being cautious.

The 41-year-old seemingly made a poor strategic choice in the closing stages of the race by switching to slick medium compound tires when it was clearly time for grooved intermediate tires.

While the two-time world champion lost a lot of time to Max Verstappen in pitting once again for intermediate tires, he was lucky to not lose position to his former teammate Esteban Ocon behind him in P3.

Speaking about the conditions to David Coulthard in Parc Ferme, Fernando Alonso said:

"Not full power around the lap, braking was extremely fragile into turns 5 and 10. It was not easy and I was quite surprised that there was no safety cars, no incidents. I think everyone was doing an amazing job today to keep the cars on track."

Fernando Alonso on his hopes for a third title

Fernando Alonso in action at the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco

Fernando Alonso maintains a hopeful outlook as he continues his quest for the elusive third Formula 1 championship title. The Spanish driver, renowned for his triumphs over Michael Schumacher to secure the world titles in 2005 and 2006 with Renault, has showcased exceptional form in the 2023 season. He has consistently reached the podium in five out of the six races so far.

Despite his advanced age of 41, Alonso exhibits an enduring passion to compete against drivers who are significantly younger, skillfully navigating through each race weekend with finesse.

While it has been a considerable time since his last championship victory in 2006, the former Ferrari driver remains resolute and motivated, actively striving to claim his third title.

In an interview with Bang and Olufsen, Fernando Alonso discussed his prospects of securing his third title and said:

"Always! I believe it is possible. That's why I keep racing. Obviously, you know the challenge is big. You know that you need to overcome some difficulties and some tough things that are now on top of the sport. But yeah, I race every day and I train every day thinking that the third title is possible."

It will be interesting to follow Alonso's season progress with Aston Martin.