Sunday: A new victory for Alonso and Ferrari
Poorly positioned at the start of the season, Scuderia Ferrari has definitely turned things around, with three victories signed by Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard conducted a race of resistance, where the important thing was not to find himself in a weak position in the DRS zone. Felipe Massa, for his part, fell victim to his distant start, with a collision with a Toro Rosso ruining his race.
Fernando Alonso – Victory:
« It was a very tight race from start to finish. We didn’t have the fastest car. McLaren and Red Bull had a slight edge, but not enough to overtake. The team made strategic decisions that were spot on during both stops, and I knew I had to focus, especially on turn 6, by defending my position with the KERS. Then, in the third sector, there was no room to overtake. I constantly tried to preserve the tires as much as possible. I clearly didn’t have a moment to relax, but I think I was calmer than the team in the garage and on the pit wall, or the fans in front of their televisions! Looking back at where we were in Jerez [pre-season testing, editor’s note], or in Australia at the first race, I have to thank everyone in Maranello for their fantastic reaction to the situation. After the pole in the rain, the car seemed very strong, as we expected. We must stay focused, avoid reliability or pit stop problems, and I know that in this regard, I can rely on the best team, a team that is used to winning a lot. All I have to do is focus on my driving and how to help the team. I always want to give 100% and work day and night to do so. I don’t want to see anyone arrive in Hungary better prepared than me, physically or mentally, or more motivated than me, and I always try to win this parallel competition to the one on the track. I expect us to do well in Budapest, and there is no reason to be pessimistic. However, I don’t forget that Red Bull and McLaren were faster. I said that July would be crucial, with 75 points at stake, and so far, we have brought back 43, so we will have to try to finish the job in Hungary. »
Felipe Massa – 13th:
« It was a very difficult race for me, conditioned by my problem at the start. I got off to a good start, but then a Toro Rosso suddenly slowed down in front of me, and despite my attempt to avoid it, I touched it with my front wing. I lost so much time getting back to the pits and my race was almost over at that point. The tires worked well, as we expected. It’s really a shame because today the car was very competitive, as Fernando demonstrated by having a perfect race to achieve a well-deserved victory, which is important for him and the whole team. Obviously, I am not happy today, but the fact is that I can count on a car that is constantly improving in terms of performance, which gives me confidence for the rest of the season. We need to improve the situation in qualifying, to try to start in better positions: it’s the simplest way to avoid problems at the start, like the one I had to face this afternoon. I think we should have a good pace in Hungary, as has been the case in recent races.
