Alonso: Q2 tyre rules just benefit the big teams

Under the current rules, drivers who qualify in the top 10 must start the race on their Q2 tyre, a law that was initially intended to advantage the drivers who did not make Q3.

However, with the top teams able to make it through Q2 on the mediums at most circuits, they are not facing the penalty, while teams towards the back-end of the top 10 are having to start the race on the softs.

Pirelli are bringing softer tyres for this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix than they did for the Styrian Grand Prix at the same circuit last time out, and Alonso believes that this will unfairly impact the midfield teams.

“It’s going to be a challenge to do one stop,” he said. “If you start with a C5, maybe it’s more difficult.”

“The fast cars have the luxury to avoid that tyre and in the midfield we don’t have that luxury.

“That’s the bad thing about the rules. They try to invent one rule that could benefit the show, and they just benefit the big teams.”

Alonso continued his excellent run of form at the Styrian Grand Prix finishing ninth, his third points finish in a row, but acknowledged that the Red Bull Ring does not necessarily suit the Alpine car.

“I don’t think that Austria is our best circuit,” he added.

“Unfortunately we have two races here, so we have to manage the damage that we can have in terms of points. I think we’ve done it very well in race one, because we did score one more point than AlphaTauri, and two less than Aston Martin. So we managed to limit this damage.

“But in race two I think it’s going to be another challenging weekend. We’ll try to do better, but it’s going to be difficult. I think this is our limit.”