Is Fernando Alonso F1’s unluckiest driver after ‘frustrating’ suspension failure?

Fernando Alonso believes he’s lost at least 20 points through bad luck after his fourth DNF of the year at the Italian Grand Prix.

The two-time F1 world champion was on course for a top-eight finish at Monza, getting ahead of Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto through the pit stop phase.

A slightly slow stop for Bortoleto allowed Alonso to get ahead for seventh place (once the various pit stops played out).

Alonso ran slightly wide on the exit of the Ascari chicane and his suspension was damaged in an unusual incident.

Alonso recovered back into the pit lane to retire the car, capping off another frustrating race.

It means Alonso still sits behind Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll in the drivers’ championship.

This is despite Alonso out-qualifying Stroll at the last 28 events.

Reflecting on a pointless race at the Italian GP, Alonso said: “Yes, it seems that the suspension gave way and, well, we had to retire the car.

“We were seventh, I don't think many cars had to overtake us, we were as fast or faster than them, so yes, six points here.

“Eight in Monaco when we were sixth and broke the engine there, today when we were seventh we broke the suspension, so it's dozens of points that bad luck is taking away from us.

“We overtook one car at the start, we overtook one car at the pit stop, in the pits, and we were keeping a group behind us, I think with a difficult weekend, so for our part I think we executed the weekend one hundred per cent, and luck again, or a breakdown, deprived us of points, but we'll have to keep trying.”

‘Everyone hits that kerb’ at Monza

Fernando Alonso denied that it was his error at Monza, stating that “everyone continues to hit that kerb”.

Alonso was on course to finish sixth in Monaco but was forced to retire from the race due to an engine issue.

The 44-year-old would have likely finished eighth in the end, given Alex Albon’s impressive pace, as he was able to jump ahead of Bortoleto.

“It's a kerb that we were hitting all weekend and that we continued to hit, the laps we're seeing now, everyone continues to hit that kerb,” Alonso added.

“We don't have any aspirations this year, other than to fight for the constructors' championship and try to help the team finish as high as possible. But well, on merit, I think we should have about 20 points more than we have, so if we haven't achieved that, it's sometimes been because of our own mistakes, other times because of bad luck, and at the end of the year, we'll finish where we have to finish.

“But other than that, there's nothing negative or positive to take away from it. We try to do our job perfectly every weekend, and as we did this weekend, I would say, with a spectacular qualifying session and a very good first 30 laps of the race, and from there we'll wait for the next one.”