Alonso banking on strategy heading into Chinese GP

Fernando Alonso qualified 13th for tomorrow’s Chinese Grand Prix, seemingly out of position for a man fourth in the Drivers’ standings.

However, it is still early days, and retirements for Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and Kimj Raikkonen in Bahrain have distorted the standings after only two races.

Alonso is banking on using an optimum strategy tomorrow in order to move his way up the field and into the points.

McLaren have scored two double points finishes so far this season, and Alonso and team mate Stoffel Vandoorne will start 13th and 14th in Shanghai, the same as in Bahrain.

Starting outside the top ten isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it gives the Spaniard free reign for what tyres he starts the race on.

Alonso said: “Tyre degradation tomorrow is going to be high.

Alonso was three tenths away from a first Q3 appearance of the season, with Vandoorne six tenths away.