Romain Grosjean, Haas, Bahrain International Circuit, 2018

Haas will make it tough for McLaren to reach Q3 – Alonso

2018 Bahrain Grand Prix

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Fernando Alonso said it will be “tough” for McLaren to get into Q3 in Bahrain despite both cars ending Friday’s running inside the top 10.

Reaching the final phase of qualifying is “one of the targets” for the team this weekend, said Alonso.

Fernando Alonso, McLaren, Bahrain International Circuit, 2018
Bahrain Grand Prix practice in pictures
“In Australia we missed Q3, we were 11th and 12th, so here it’s a clear target for the team team, try to be in Q3.

“I think it’s possible. Some of the times we saw, maybe we can beat them if we have a perfect day tomorrow.”

Alonso ended the second practice session in ninth place, six-hundredths of a second slower than Nico Hulkenberg in seventh. But he expects to see a tougher challenge from the Haas drivers on Saturday.

“We need to be ready to see the Haas a little bit in front also,” said Alonso. “Today they are 12th and 16th, I don’t think that is very representative.

“I think it’s going to be tough tomorrow, we need to deliver, we need to make a perfect lap.”

Alonso had a disrupted Friday in Australia and was pleased to have a trouble-free run in both sessions this weekend.

“We completed the programme,” he said. “It’s always important especially in FP2 in the night session to do as many laps as possible, understand the tyres also.

“[There’s] a little bit of higher degradation than probably we were expecting so we need to take this into account for Sunday.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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