Fernando Alonso ready to exploit Max Verstappen 'inconsistent' race starts in Monaco

Fernando Alonso hopes he can take advantage of Max Verstappen's inconsistent starts to end his 10-year wait for victory at Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

The evergreen Alonso, 41, lines up behind Verstappen following an exhilarating qualifying session in the sun-cooked principality.

Home favourite Charles Leclerc qualified third on the grid for Ferrari but was later demoted to sixth after he was penalised by the stewards for blocking Lando Norris. Lewis Hamilton, in his revamped Mercedes machine, moves up from sixth to fifth, with teammate George Russell eighth on the grid.

Alonso took his last pole at the 2012 German Grand Prix, but he looked destined to end his 3 961-day losing streak when he moved to the top of the time charts in the closing stages.

Dream spoiler

Red Bull's Verstappen was the only driver who could spoil the dreams of Alonso, and his Aston Martin mechanics, who had already celebrated wildly in the belief that their man had captured pole.

Verstappen trailed Alonso by two-tenths before he delivered a mesmerising final sector on the most famous streets in Formula 1 to take pole by just 0.084 seconds.

"We will try to win," said Alonso, who claimed his 32nd and final victory in Spain a decade ago. "We need some help from Max but I am not going to take it for granted.

"It's a very short run into Turn 1. We normally have a good start. Max is a bit inconsistent, so maybe he has one of those bad ones tomorrow."

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Qualifying is crucial in Monte Carlo, given how troublesome it is to pass at this tight and twisty venue.

However, the omens are encouraging for Alonso. In the last seven years, the driver starting from second has won on more