Alonso admits Aston 'didn't have the pace' in Barcelona

For only the second time this season, Fernando Alonso failed to score a podium in F1, a shortfall due in Barcelona to Aston Martin's relative lack of pace.

Alonso lined up P8 on Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix grid, ran as high as fourth thanks to the pit stops gyrations and finished his home race seventh, just one position behind Aston teammate Lance Stroll.

It was a relatively uneventful afternoon for the two-time world champion who relied on a soft-soft-hard two-stop strategy to reach the checkered flag.

"We didn't have the pace, so that's the biggest problem," Alonso admitted.

"It was not that we were unlucky or on differing strategies or anything like that, I think we were slow compared to the Mercedes – slow on the soft, slow on the hard.

©AstonMartin

"And we just concentrated on the Alpines, AlphaTauris, and kept up the pace with the Ferraris.

"At the end, I think we outscored the Ferraris this weekend because they only scored with Carlos [Sainz]. And we lost points with the Mercedes, but they have done a better job this weekend. So let's try the next one."

Indeed, Mercedes has overtaken Aston Martin in F1's Constructors' standings, with the Brackley now edging its Silverstone rival by 18 points.

• Read also: Team Talk - Sunday in Barcelona

Alonso reckoned that the Circuit de Catalunya's layout as well as the recent upgrades introduced by Aston's adversaries contributed to the team's result in Spain.

"I think the track was a little bit not the best for us," he said.

"From FP1, we were on a completely different set-up from what we predicted, so we had to work a lot during the weekend to be happy with the car, which was kind of new for us.

"We were always happy from FP1 [this year], while here we had to work a little bit more.

"And then the upgrades from other people, I think maybe they didn't show their full potential in Monaco and Miami – street circuits. So here, we saw today that maybe they are a little bit stronger.

"But I'm not worried. There are going to be better weekends and worse weekends, and we will have our opportunity in Canada."

The 41-year-old veteran believes Montreal in two weeks' time will deliver a much different verdict and propel Aston back to the front, hopefully as near as possible to Red Bull.

"We will see a completely different picture and hopefully, we will fight with the Red Bulls soon," Alonso said.

"I need a good qualifying. I regret my mistake from yesterday, I thought all night if I could rewind and go again in qualifying, things would be different.

"That I cannot do yet, change time! So I can only think now of Canada and I will use that motivation for a good weekend there."

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