Alonso aims to wins street battle

Fernando Alonso admits McLaren will hold the upper hand in this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, but the world championship leader is holding out hope of victory in Formula One’s most glamorous race of the year.

The Renault driver was comfortably beaten by McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen in Spain two weeks ago to ignite a championship battle between the pretenders to Michael Schumacher’s crown.

McLaren’s improvement over the last two races has left Renault in the shade, but Alonso believes having the fastest car will not necessarily bring glory on Sunday.

The tight and twisty Principality streets are unique on the Formula One calendar and with overtaking almost impossible, strategy plays a key part.

Alonso said: “I think at the moment McLaren are a little bit in front of us in terms of competitiveness, we know that.

“Anyway, here is a very special track and a good car does not always win in Monaco.

“Last year we saw Ferrari dominate the whole championship but here in Monaco they were not quick enough to win the race. We know the McLaren is quick but here is always very special.”

“I hope to win the race here because it is a very special race for the drivers and for the history of Formula One. Winning in Monte Carlo is something more than winning in another place.”

But Raikkonen, who is chasing a 27-point deficit in the championship, has warned Alonso that McLaren’s resurgence still has more to offer.

The Finn said: “I think after the first few races, when we got under way, we had some difficulties and some bad luck but we got some new parts when we came to Europe.

“It has since improved a lot, especially in the last race when we got a new engine again.

“I think we’re starting to get more and more parts all the time and if we can keep it up, we can improve the car all the time.”

Alonso, who is on course to become Formula One’s youngest-ever world champion, takes recent improvements from McLaren and Ferrari in his stride though and expects the pendulum to swing back to Renault soon.

Improved cars from Renault’s two chief rivals at Imola four weeks ago closed the gap at the front, a trend continued at Barcelona last time out.

But Alonso is confident in his team’s ability to respond and is still feeling the benefit of the three consecutive wins which catapulted him to the top of the standings.

“I think there is some sort of aero package coming from now to the next races so I think we can be equal to them and then fight for the victories with them.

“After the first two races my level of confidence was a little bit higher than normal because I saw that the car was performing well and I wasn’t making mistakes.

“I am very confident in myself and very confident in the team. In five races to win three and from 50 points to score 44 is something from the team, some luck and a little bit from me.

“I think both McLaren and Ferrari are very strong and both will be our main opponents, but we knew that in Australia when we arrived in the first race.

“We were lucky to score more points than them in the first five races and hopefully we can keep this gap for a very long time.

“It is normal that there will be races where they will be more competitive and there will be some places where they will have the advantage and some where we will have the advantage.

“In Imola and Barcelona they were quicker than us, and this is what we have to think and sort out for the next races.”

Practice begins tomorrow at Monaco to accommodate the traditional Friday day off.