Ferrari: Alonso regrets a missed opportunity
In a qualifying session with some surprises, such as the absence of world champion Vettel and Nico Hülkenberg, behind the wheel of a seemingly lively Force India, in Q3, the Ferrari driver is only ninth on the grid. Explanations.
Due to engine problems from Q2, the Spanish world champion will start only 9th this Sunday. Meanwhile, his teammate Kimi Räikkönen will start 5th.
It’s a fact he regrets: « It was a strange qualifying session in which neither Hülkenberg nor Vettel appeared in Q3, I think we had a chance in Q3 because some leaders were missing. » Especially since these drivers won’t be left behind thanks to the tires saved, he explains: « On the other hand, they will be very dangerous on Sunday. They have a lot of new tires left for the race, so they will be a threat – Vettel, Hülkenberg, Ricciardo. »
Moreover, Fernando Alonso believes that the start of the race is the weak point for the prancing horse at the beginning of the season: « We did not have good starts in Australia and Malaysia. We can improve in this area. » However, Ferrari is making some improvements that could be beneficial during the race: « We tested a few new things this weekend and we are in a slightly better position. »
Finally, he views the race optimistically even though he knows it won’t be easy: « Before coming here, we didn’t expect an easy race. I believe we can have a good start, a good first lap, and with a bit of luck, we can keep up with the leaders. »
His goal remains quite realistic: « It will be a tough race, we need a good strategy and if the pace is sufficient, we can still score a few points – that’s probably our objective this weekend. »
We must not be late this afternoon.
