Sunday: Alonso finishes on the podium, Massa collides with Hamilton

Fernando Alonso – 3rd

It’s nice to finish on the podium for Formula 1’s debut in India and I am delighted to bring a new trophy home. Today has been a special day, filled with many emotions. In fact, the satisfaction of finishing on the podium cannot erase the sadness we have felt for several days, following the death of two of our colleagues, two special people – Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli.

After this race, finishing in second place in the drivers’ championship is still within my reach, but it will be difficult because McLaren is in great form at the moment, even though there’s only a 13-point gap. We are aware that on paper, we are behind the two Red Bulls and the two McLarens: then, if something unusual happens, we can finish on the podium.

Today, the team was fantastic, solving a problem with my front wing identified only twenty minutes before the start. At the start, I didn’t get off very well and Button managed to pass me. Then I tried to stay close to Webber and when he slowed down slightly, I was able to catch up, and by staying a bit longer on the track during his pit stop, I managed to overtake him. Being patient paid off. Now we are going to focus on Abu Dhabi, which is a special race… Maybe I’ll go to Ferrari World to play golf to relax before the race, and then, on Sunday night, I’ll try to get the only trophy missing from my collection.

Felipe Massa – Withdrawal

There’s not much to say after a weekend like that. I’m really disappointed not to have finished the race because I had shown that I had the pace to fight for the podium. As for the collision with Hamilton, I can simply say that I don’t share the Stewards’ view who decided to penalize me.

I simply stayed on the best line, braked late, and remained on the rubbered part of the track. What more could I do? It’s the umpteenth time Hamilton has run into me this year, and it seems there’s a fatal attraction… I’ve tried to talk to him lately, but he didn’t seem interested in doing so. So now the best thing is to turn the page and focus on the last two Grand Prix of the year.

They are both special because Abu Dhabi is sort of a second home race for Ferrari, with that incredible amusement park next to the track, and then comes Interlagos, which is a unique race for me. I’m going to try to forget this trip to India as quickly as possible, but that has nothing to do with the country itself!

Stefano Domenicali – Director of Scuderia Ferrari

The result of this Grand Prix can be described as bittersweet. On one hand, there is the satisfaction of seeing Fernando on the podium, which given our situation in the last races, represents our most realistic goal. Once again, the Spanish driver had a magnificent race, fighting lap after lap to bring a new trophy to his collection.

On the other hand, there is disappointment with what happened with Felipe, who could have achieved a good result given his pace. Regarding the incident with Hamilton, as usual, Ferrari respects the decision of the Stewards, even though, in this case, we have a different point of view from theirs.

It is true that we don’t have the sufficient pace to win, but I think that everything we are doing during these last races will be important for the 2012 season. We are learning a lot and we must continue this way during the final two Grand Prix of the year. Lastly, let me say that seeing a Ferrari on the podium of the first Indian Grand Prix was very pleasing, considering what this market could represent in the future.