Fernando Alonso delivered a dire Monaco prediction, stating Aston Martin "probably can't even race" if their critical gearbox issues aren't resolved. The team has struggled with random downshifts since Miami, a significant concern on Monaco's unforgiving streets where a sudden push from the engine or rear locking could easily lead to a crash. Alonso fears drivers would appear "stupid" when the car acts like a "passenger."
Teammate Lance Stroll confirmed additional gearbox headaches, noting the car loses gear synchronization every time it drops below 40 km/h. This means a constant re-syncing process, bleeding precious lap time through Monaco's slow corners like Loews Hairpin. The risk of reliability failures or race-ending crashes looms large. On a separate note, Alonso has reverted his seat position to last year's setup after discomfort and pain forced his Canada retirement. This weekend will reveal if Aston Martin addressed these critical flaws or if their Monaco Grand Prix is over before it starts.
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