Alonso: We are 100% ready for Melbourne

Fernando Alonso makes a point during Barcelona testing

Mar.13 (PVM) Fernando Alonso ended the 2011 preseason Formula 1 testing programme with more mileage driven during his eight or so days in the cockpit of the Ferrari 150 Italia and the Spaniard feels confident ahead of the season opening Australian Grand Prix in less than two weeks.

Fernando speaks to the media in Barcelona

The two times world champion said, “Overall, I think we will arrive in Melbourne in a hundred percent state of readiness, but whether or not that will be enough to win, we will not know until we are there in Australia. I feel confident, just as I did last year going into the start of the season. We are in good shape, even if we know we are not racing alone out there. We want to win, but that does not mean that if it did not happen, it would be a disaster: sport cannot be just a question of victory or defeat.”
Alonso notched up 2826 kilometres during testing in Valencia, Jerez and Barcelona, which was more than any of his rivals despite missing out on the very final day in Barcelona due to torrential rain. He reflected, “The conditions meant you could not lap in a way in which you could learn anything useful. If we had found ourselves in this situation in a race weekend, there would definitely have been a red flag. Even with a day like this, I am pleased with how the winter testing has gone. On average, we have done around a hundred laps each day, which demonstrates we have the reliability which is a priority when you are dealing with a new car: we are the team that has completed the greatest distance of all.”

Fernando Alonso did more laps than any of his rivals at the wheel of the Ferrari 150 Italia

“Pirelli tyres” are the buzz words in Formula 1 at the moment. There is much talk too about KERS and moveable wings, but the facts are that tyre management and related strategies will be key to the forthcoming season. Alonso points out, “We still need to see how the tyres will perform in higher temperatures, which we might encounter in Australia and even more likely in Malaysia. We will have to wait for a race to find out more. What is certain is that we will not see races like those of 2010, in which strategy was obvious right from the start of the weekend.”
The Spaniard explained, “This year, a lot of attention will go into deciding if it is best to do two, three or four stops, being flexible and ready to manage any situation. Maybe sometimes it will be better to do a few less laps in each stint and make the most of the tyres at the point when they are at their best, or looking at doing one less stop: it will depend on the track and how the race evolves. Yesterday, we did a good simulation, alternating between two types of tyres at each of the four stops: we will see what happens in Melbourne.”

Fernando gets wired before a stint

The 29 year old from Oviedo was managing expectations, which are always high when related to Ferrari, when saying, “If we win it will be fantastic, but if we don’t then we will try again the following year, as Ferrari has always done. One thing’s for sure, we will have to push on the development, like we did last year. For example, at Albert Park, I hope we will manage to bring a few updates, especially to the front wing, which can still give us a fraction more in performance terms.”
Earlier in the year Alonso said he feared Michael Schumacher more than any other competitor, many tho9ught he was joking considering the lack of form the seven times world champion had shown. Now, after the German went fastest of all during the four days in Barcelona, Alonso’s words appear prophetic. When asked to comment the Ferrari driver said, “I think Mercedes has shown it has made a good step forward compared to the start of the tests and can be one of the favourites for Melbourne. It’s normal that, with a quick car, Michael should immediately be competitive.”

Fernando Alonso rates Michael Schumacher highly

He added, “It’s not a surprise because I still think there’s a significant group made of Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, Renault and maybe Williams, who along with us, can aspire to victory in the first few races. I don’t think it makes much difference to us to be ahead of or behind the Red Bull, who are maybe the favourites, in terms of the work we have to do: to catch up you have to multiply your efforts to do it in a hurry and if you have the upper hand, then you work just as hard to maintain it. That is the way it is in Formula 1.
For Alonso the winning theory is simple and logical, “The aim is always to have the quickest car in the pack. Other elements can play a key part at certain moments, but in the long term, the one with the quickest package wins.”
The Australian Grand Prix weekend starts on Friday 25 March when the Formula 1 field is unleashed around Albert Park in Melbourne for the first free parctice session of the season.

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