Fernando Alonso prefers to be in front than behind
At the start of the new Formula One season, if you had asked anybody who was going to be world champion, many would have said Fernando Alonso.
Why? Because after a Ferrari one-two finish in the opening race in Bahrain, where Alonso stormed to the victory, his was the name on everyone’s lips.
Having won back-to-back world titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, Alonso, prior to his switch to Ferrari this season was unable to compete for the championship over the last few years, as his Renault car lacked performance and speed. In his first outing for Ferrari, he won, and the signs looked ominous for the rest of the field.
Expected to take off for the rest of the season, things didn’t quite go the Spaniard’s way. He has suffered a crash, an engine failure, a penalty during the race and some bad luck with traffic, and he fell nearly 50 points behind the championship leader.
The controversial race in Germany was no doubt the turnaround Alonso was waiting for. After Ferrari were fined $100,000 for instructing Felipe Massa to let Alonso through to win the race, Alonso has been the most consistent driver on the grid, winning four of the last seven races and is now 11 points clear with two races left.
Those who at the start of the season tipped him to become world champion could have been forgiven for thinking they had made a bad decision, but those who stuck to their beliefs, like Alonso did, will be delighted. With the Brazilian Grand Prix coming up this weekend, Alonso is pleased to be leading after clawing back a huge points deficit. “I am back in the lead of the championship for the first time since way back after the Australian Grand Prix [second race of the season],” he said.
“However, we know that with this points system and the gaps as they are, the standings don't really mean that much. It only takes one race, as indeed we saw in Korea [when Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber retired and Alonso took the lead in the drivers’ championship], for the situation to turn itself round,” Alonso added. “All the same, it's always better to be in front than behind.”
Alonso can afford to not win another race, and says staying ahead of Webber, Vettel and the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton will be crucial. “Knowing that achieving our objectives is in our hands means we are a fraction calmer, but in no way does it change our approach.
“We will have to try and do our utmost, making the most of all the potential we have at our disposal. The only difference is that it would be enough, so to speak, to stay ahead of our closest rivals, without having to think too much about the maths,” he said.
Sao Paulo is a significant track to Alonso. It is the scene of where he secured his two championships, but he is not going to think about that this weekend. “Every time I go to Sao Paolo it's a special feeling and the atmosphere is really great,” he said.
“I don't want to think about the chances of history repeating itself for a third time: I know it is theoretically possible, but that does not count for me.
“We want to tackle this grand prix in the same way as all the others, concentrating on ourselves with our feet on the ground, trying to do a good job, without making mistakes and with the aim of beating our rivals. I have said it before and I say it again, we will do the maths in Abu Dhabi,” Alonso added.
Logic says if he doesn’t retire, he should be world champion for a third time.
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