Sunday: Happy and proud, Alonso is already looking towards 2013 with Ferrari
By both stepping onto the podium at Interlagos, the Ferrari drivers enable the Scuderia to finish in second place in the constructors' standings, their best result since 2008, after a complicated start to the season. As for Fernando Alonso, he fell short in his quest for the drivers' title but views his season positively and is already eyeing 2013.
Fernando Alonso – 2nd:
I give this season a 10! If we had to redo these twenty races, I wouldn’t change anything the team did: no mistakes, no mechanical issues, no problems in the pits, no strategic errors. We definitely didn’t lose the title today, with what happened at Spa or Suzuka. We may not have finished the season with the most points, but we gained many other things, like everyone’s respect, as fans and colleagues agree on who was the best this season. I’m proud of the work I’ve done, and I felt the same way last year when I finished fourth, and again this time as I fought until the very end.
Today, it was very different from Abu Dhabi [in 2010]: at that time, there was the frustration of a missed opportunity, whereas this year we did our best, race after race. Internally, I feel happy: I worked day by day with the team who gave it back to me at the end of each month, and today they can be proud of what they have done.
Once again, today, we did impeccable work, finishing on the podium after starting from the fourth row, producing yet another little Sunday miracle. The team constantly kept me informed about Vettel, and towards the end, I was hoping that something might happen to him or to Button, which would have allowed us to reach our goal. It didn’t happen, and we must respect the verdict of the track.
What to ask from the team for 2013? It’s simple, a faster car, but above all, I would like to see the same effort and professionalism the team showed in responding to our initial difficulties. Even though we didn’t manage to reach the performance level of the best, everyone demonstrated total dedication. I repeat, I am happy and proud: now, it’s time to drink a caipirinha!
Felipe Massa – 3rd:
« It was very emotional for me to step onto the podium for my home race. I cried like a baby thinking about how difficult this season has been for me, disastrous at the beginning and then very competitive towards the end. Fernando should be proud of what he has done this year: he was able to win when the car was not perfect and fought until the end, even if his car did not match that of his rivals. His championship has been truly spectacular! We too can be proud of what we have accomplished.
Today’s race was very intense and difficult: so many things happened. It was not easy to find the right tires as the conditions changed so quickly. At the start, when it began to rain, we opted to stay on the track, but we stayed out too long. Then, I found myself in eleventh place but started to go very fast and overtook a lot of drivers. Who knows, maybe I could have fought for the win today. The team kept me informed all the time about the track situation and what could be useful in the fight for the championship. I think I did the right thing, for my team and also for my fans.
