Fernando Alonso hits out at 'luxury' Ferrari advantage ahead of Miami Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso has made his feelings known about a "luxury" Ferrari advantage that could have major Miami Grand Prix ramifications.

Fernando Alonso suffered a tough qualifying session today in the Miami Grand Prix, with the Aston Martin star finishing 18th in Q3.

While the Spaniard’s struggles with the AMR26 continue, he has expressed criticism of a “luxury” that only Ferrari have received ahead of tomorrow's main race.

As weather concerns loom ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, with predictions of thunderstorms and heavy rain, Alonso’s Ferrari criticism could have potentially major ramifications.

The Spaniard has hit out at the “luxury” Ferrari have in being able to do wet tyre testing with Pirelli, which he believes could be a major factor in the outcome of tomorrow’s Miami Grand Prix, if it were to unfold around a wet track.

His team-mate Lance Stroll will start Sunday in P19 — ahead of only Cadillac’s Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, and Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto — and Alonso also expressed concerns over Aston Martin’s pace ahead of the main race.

Hector Vivas, Getty

The 41-year-old said to DAZN: “It’s not going to change anything in wet or dry. It’s fine in changing conditions, but there’s no pace in wet or dry.

“Only Ferrari does private tests with Pirelli and rain tyres. We don’t have that luxury,” he continued.

During Formula 1’s extended break, which occurred due to the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton participated in a private wet tyre test with Pirelli.

This was conducted so that Pirelli could receive valuable data that aids developmental work on the company’s tyres going forward — with the Scuderia's Fiorano circuit being artificially watered to provide consistent conditions for this data extraction.

It has been claimed that a meeting could be held to consider moving the Grand Prix’s start time forward in order to avoid the troubling forecast, but only time will tell whether it will go ahead around a wet track tomorrow, and whether Alonso's criticism will be vindicated.

Aston Martin suffered a torrid day at the Miami International Autodrome, however, despite disappointing 18th and 19th finishes respectively, the Spaniard has now out-qualified Stroll in 40 consecutive races.

Alonso is now 16 races behind the record holder, Michael Schumacher, who out-qualified his team-mate on 56 successive occasions between 1992 and 1995.