Fernando Alonso: Ferrari’s Australian Grand prix not a complete disaster – Formula 1
Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was held up by Renault’s Vitaly Petrov in the Australian Grand Prix. Alonso didn’t finish on the podium which raised questions on Ferrari’s disappointing form for the Championship hunt.
The Spaniard however believes that the 2011 Formula 1 season for Ferrari is far from over and they will fight back.
Alonso was on three pit-stops strategy when he finished just a few seconds behind the Renault Rookie Vitaly Petrov. This was the second time in a row when Petrov has been able to hold Alonso until the finish line, first being in Abu Dhabi last year. However,
Alonso doesn’t see Petrov as a title contender as he said that he was happy to be in front of Mark Webber of Red Bull who he believes is a bigger threat in the Championship run.
Talking about the fourth place finish in the season’s first Grand Prix, Alonso said that although he lost points to the race leader, Sebastian Vettel, he is happy to have scored 12 points.
“It wasn’t the start that we all wanted but nor is it anything to get worried about. Overall, the Australian Grand Prix can’t be defined as disastrous,” said the two-times world champion.
Alonso started the race in the fifth position but after the first lap he was down to the ninth place because he was caught in a bit of a pile up. Petrov forced Jenson Button of McLaren outside at the first turn. Button pushed Alonso to the outside corner
after which the Spaniard lost his tyre’s grip.
“If I hadn’t found myself down in ninth place at the beginning of the first lap I’d have been able to fight to the finish for the two lower steps of the podium,” he said.
Alonso is looking forward to the back-to-back races in Malaysia and China and hopes to finish ahead of Petrov.
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