Fittipaldi sees Alonso as a candidate for Monaco, but: ‘He has two problems’

Double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi sees Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso as one of the favorites for the Monaco Grand Prix, which is due to be on the Formula 1 calendar at the end of May. According to the Brazilian, the differences between the teams have narrowed and Monaco’s tight street circuit offers Alonso the best chance of winning, although he foresees two more problems for the Spaniard.

Fittipaldi, who himself became Formula 1 champion in 1972 and 1974 and also won the Indy 500 several times, is still a big fan of the sport at the age of 76 and in conversation with ASH enjoying the first three races. “It’s good that the peloton is more balanced despite Red Bull’s superiority,” said Fittipaldi. Aston Martin is not far behind Red Bull, Ferrari will improve a lot and I think Mercedes has the potential for that too. The German team is already making progress, so everything is more balanced now, although Red Bull are still a few steps ahead of the others. Verstappen and Pérez are superior to the rest of the field, but Verstappen shows with his results that he is perhaps even better than his teammate.

After ten lean years, Alonso has finally found competitive equipment. Aston Martin is undoubtedly the surprise of the championship so far and Fernando (Alonso, editor’s note) is the ideal driver to exploit the full potential of the car. I am convinced that it is not a fluke and that Alonso will be fast all year. Fernando has all the qualities a top driver needs. Alonso’s age, 41, is not seen as a problem by Fittipaldi. “I won my last race in the United States when I was 47, and Alonso can still reach a high level at that age. Physically he is still strong and he is still hungry. His mentality and character are very strong and he is very competitive. That’s how he makes the difference. Like Federer and Nadal, he is able to overcome any adversity thanks to his mental strength.

Alonso candidate for Monaco?

Where Red Bull excels with its high top speed is precisely Aston Martin’s weak point. The British team hangs at the bottom of the maximum speed lists, and so the slow Monte Carlo street circuit is expected to suit the AMR23. “Alonso is one of the favorites to win at Monaco,” said Fittipaldi. “We already know that anything can happen on this circuit. The fight for pole position becomes crucial as whoever starts first has a 70% chance of winning. Qualifications are therefore essential and Fernando will certainly do a great job there. Although the differences between the cars are small, I see two problems for him to win: the first is Max Verstappen and the second is Pérez. These two are also going to be very strong but it is clear that Fernando will have opportunities. He can win if all goes well.