Alonso won't give up on F1 title: 'In 2010 and 2012 we didn't have the best car'

Alonso sits third in the drivers’ standings after six rounds, 51 points behind Max Verstappen.

The Spaniard has finished all of the races inside the top four, putting him just 12 points behind the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

While Aston Martin aren’t on Red Bull’s pace, Alonso hasn’t completely ruled out his chances.

He cited his 2010 and 2012 title challenges with Ferrari, when they didn’t have Red Bull’s outright pace but remained in contention through good reliability and consistency.

Alonso conceded that he will need Verstappen to have issues at a couple of races to have any chance this year.

“Let's see. I think in any other… of the seasons that I remember, back in the 2000s or early 2010s, I will be leading the championship with the results that I got this year but now there is Red Bull and Max dominating every race and even with great results, you're just stepping behind them, every race,” he said in the post-race press conference in Monaco. 

“So I don't know. We didn't have the best car in 2010 and we arrived leading the championship in Abu Dhabi. We didn't have the best car in ’12 and we still fight for the championship until the last lap in Brazil. So the championship is long, we will not give up.  

“We will need weekends where Red Bull has some issues like Sergio had here with the DNF or zero points. And if Max has one or two of those, we will be a little bit closer in the championship. 

“This is motorsport. Anything can happen. But on pure pace. I think we don't have the chance yet. But we will not give up for sure.”

Next up in F1 is Alonso’s home race at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.