Saturday: Ferrari very satisfied

Felipe Massa – 6th and 2nd:

« It’s great to come back being so competitive after a difficult period. It’s a good way to start the new season and a nice reward for all the work the team has done over the winter. The race will be very difficult, but I am happy to have a chance to fight for the top positions. Yesterday, we did a good job in preparing for the race and I think we went in the right direction, but it’s only the first Grand Prix and there are still many unknowns to define, such as finding the right moment to change the tires. Today, I gave it my all, doing a very good lap on my last stint, whereas the previous ones hadn’t been as good. I want to thank Sébastien for what he said about me at the start of the press conference. It makes me extremely happy and shows the great respect that exists between us drivers. »

Fernando Alonso – 1st and 3rd:

« Until today, we didn’t have a clear reference on our competitiveness. With our cars on the first and second row, we can be satisfied because it means our championship is starting on a positive note. I am pleased with my first qualifying session with my new team. The F10 was strong in Q1 and Q2, but then Vettel managed to do better than us. On my last run, I lost precious time in a few corners, losing a few tenths, which can happen when you’re fighting for pole. I am not surprised to see Felipe in front of me; he is my teammate, and we all know how good he is on this track. We know we have a good car that we fine-tuned during February testing. Today showed us its potential, and we now have eight months of work to develop it. »

Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal:

« This is a good result, coming at the end of a very tight session. I want to thank all the staff of the Gestione Sportiva, who have worked hard in recent months to try to close the gap with the top teams at the end of last season. At least today, we have returned to breathe the air at the front of the pack, even though we are well aware that nothing is certain until Sunday afternoon after the race. We can expect a very long and tough race, where the number one priority, as always, will be reliability, because with high temperatures, the cars, drivers, and tires will be under heavy strain. It will also be important to manage the race as well as possible, finding the right time to change tires. I think this is something unknown to everyone, given that we will be subjected to conditions very different from those we experienced during testing in February. I am very pleased with the way Fernando has integrated himself into our team. He seems to have been with us for years rather than months. And I am delighted with Felipe’s return to competition starting from the front row of the grid. This is well deserved for him after everything he went through last year. »