Fernando Alonso delivers hard truth after Singapore qualifying: "Maybe we don't deserve it"
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin's qualifying set-up changes made the car slower
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso claimed that the changes Aston Martin made to the set-up ahead of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix "made the car slower".
The Spanish driver was left disappointed after securing P10 on the starting grid for the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
"Yes, FP3 was concerning and also Q1 we were 14th and 16th I think, so definitely not the places we want to be," Alonso explained to the media after the session. "We recovered a little bit in Q2 and Q3 to be in the top 10, but it's not the best starting position. Tomorrow on the wrong side of the grid as well, so it's going to be tough to score points."
When asked if he knew what had gone wrong, Alonso added: "Yes, we changed things. I think on the set-up we made the car slower, it happens sometimes. And the others, they make the car faster, so the combination is just a few positions away."
Discussing the sides of the grid, the Aston Martin driver claimed that it would probably have been better to start from P11.
"Yes, I think so. Nothing we can do, it's not that we decide. When you start P10, actually, you probably prefer to start P11. That guarantees you maybe points for tomorrow."
While Alonso will be looking to maximise points during the Singapore Grand Prix, he argued that "maybe we don't deserve it".
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
"I think it's going to be difficult, but we are not fast enough to win the points. There are the top four teams, and the fifth clear top team is AlphaTauri, Isack Hadjar, and then here Haas are clearly in front of us, and maybe Williams as well.
"We put a lap together today, but if you put the two cars together, I think we are maybe the eighth-fastest team or something like that. If we score points, it's welcome, but maybe we don't deserve it," he concluded.
In comparison, Alonso's team-mate, Lance Stroll, qualified in 17th on the grid.
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