Alonso defends Monaco F1 medium tyre call as track was “99% dry” on in-lap

Initial drizzle in the second sector during the race’s second half bloomed into heavier rain, which prompted a series of cars to make the leap onto the intermediate tyre in a bid to anticipate worsening conditions.

Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll led the switch, with Zhou Guanyu and Alex Albon following suit.

Alonso subsequently made his first trip to the pitlane at the end of the 54th lap of 78 and, against the run of play, collected a set of medium tyres.

But the…