Fernando Alonso said McLaren were “lacking ambition” after he again pushed for a chance to set the fastest lap of the race at the end of the Russian Grand Prix.

Alonso tried to set the fastest lap during the previous race in Singapore but lost it after Kevin Magnussen put on a fresh set of tyres at the end of the race.

The McLaren driver was out of contention for the points in Sochi and told his team “I don’t care” when told he had a chance to gain a position while running in 15th.

He later asked the team “What is the fastest lap?” and was told “it’s a 36.3.” Alonso, who made his sole pit stop early in the race, did not make a second pit stop and his best lap was over three seconds off that time.

After the race Alonso indicated he was disappointed not to have had the chance to set the fastest lap. “When you are P14, P15, I think it’s good for the team, it’s good for the guys that they are working flat out every day. Good for the sponsors, good for the partners.

“But we were lacking ambition I think today.”

Alonso pitted early because he had a spare set of soft tyres and was trying to prompt other drivers into pitting early as well and use their rubber more quickly.

“It was quite a lonely race,” he said. “We stopped in lap four, lap five, tried to undercut some people and force to pit early for everyone. All of them, they have only one yellow tyres, we have two. But today the yellow tyres performed the whole race with no issues.

“That didn’t came out as we expected. Overall I think we didn’t have the pace as we said before the race.”

Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

2018 F1 season