22/05/2013
NEWS STORY
As tyres continue to dominate the agenda, Barcelona winner Fernando Alonso admits he is growing tired of rivals who keep complaining.
The Spaniard's home win, using a four-stop strategy, appeared to be the last straw for some teams and drivers, and even the media crying out that enough is enough. Consequently, Pirelli, which had already announced changes to its tyres, brought the plan forward, only to be thwarted by the FIA.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's Monaco race, an event that some fear could be won courtesy of a cynical strategy that would not work elsewhere, Alonso voiced his frustration, paying particular attention to Red Bull which appears to be the most vocal on the subject.
"We know that Barcelona was a good race for us and not so good for some of our competitors," he told reporters. "Some of these competitors claim to have a super car but the last three pole positions were for another car, when the tyres were new. It sometimes happens when you win too easily for some years, it's difficult to lose some races after."
Ouch.
Looking ahead, specifically to this weekend's race, he continued. "Obviously we want to win the championship but Monaco is a special race. Monaco is the most important race in the championship. Everyone in any country has heard about the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and Le Mans.
"It's many years that Ferrari cannot win here," he continued. "Also for me personally I can be the first man to win for three different teams so for sure it's a huge motivation to do it."
Asked about Mercedes, which has taken pole for the last three races, knowing that it had no realistic chance of victory, a ploy that just might work on the tight confines of the Principality, he said:
"If they are on pole position maybe they are favourites here but we cannot forget our main target which is the championship and at the moment Vettel and Raikkonen are in front of us.
"So if Mercedes has to win one race maybe, and this is the one, we just need to concentrate on finishing in front of the others."
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