Alpine’s Fernando Alonso is playing Michael Schumacher’s 2006 Monaco GP tactics that the latter played against him.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll crashed in the Baku qualifying causing a red flag during Q1. Meanwhile, Williams’ Alex Albon was one of the five drivers in the elimination zone who wanted to have a final go around the track before the final two-and-a-half minutes passed.
But Albon found himself locked behind Fernando Alonso for the entire lap. Despite the fact that the Spaniard had already set a time strong enough to finish in the top 15.
Due to this, the Williams driver was unable to pass him until they reached Turn 15. Reaching the turn, Alonso took to the escape road similar to what he did at the previous race in Monaco.
“He braked so early and then he just went off the circuit,” said Albon. The Alpine driver’s actions at today’s qualifying seem similar to what Michael Schumacher did at the 2006 Monaco GP.
Alonso was the reigning world champion in 2006 with an impressive winning streak for Renault. While Schumacher in his final year at Ferrari was attempting to put up a fight against the Renault.
During the qualifying, Alonso had set the fastest lap in his first runs of the Q3. He was going significantly faster on his final lap when Schumacher ahead on the road suffered a lockup. He halted in the middle of the track causing yellow flags. The German driver’s actions ultimately compromised the former’s lap.
Similar remarks as Albon were made at the 2022 Monaco GP. While the top 4 put on a show at the front, the two-time F1 champion held up the rest of the grid from P7. It left the drivers behind him frustrated.
Alonso left Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton fuming and expressing dissatisfaction on the team radio. Team boss Toto Wolff also criticized the two-time world champion for deliberately slowing down.
Also read: Four-time world champion explains how he ‘crashed wisely’ in Baku qualifying
No penalty for Fernando Alonso?
“He needs to get penalized, this guy (Alonso), he has to,” said Albon. “This is ridiculous. He was doing it the whole lap. He was driving slowly on purpose and then it was so obvious, how he went off the track it was ridiculous.”
Even after such open remarks stewards have made no confirmation regarding the investigation of this incident.
Whereas the 2006 Monaco incident had provoked global outrage. The incident had everyone in the paddock accusing the seven-time world champion of foul play; for making a voluntary mistake in order to secure pole position.
It was then reviewed by the stewards who found Schumacher guilty and disqualified from the session.
Also read: Max Verstappen sends warning to Ferrari ahead of main race
