Formula 1: Ferrari Hoping to Shine Once Again in Singapore
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, who recently sealed a sensational win for the Scuderia on home soil during last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, says he is optimistic the Ferrari F-10 machine can perform well at all platforms. The Spanish driver gave his Italian
team the perfect present by winning in Monza, and in the process revitalizing Ferrari’s 2010 title hopes. The result at Monza was just the turnaround Ferrari were looking for after a spell of misfortune and underperformance.
The Scuderia are also heartened by the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC), which spared the team any further punishment for its resort to team strategy at the German Grand Prix earlier this year. Following his crucial triumph at Monza, championship
contender Fernando Alonso has said the Scuderia now have a fair chance of clinching the 2010 championship trophy. After a less than fruitful campaign in Belgium, Ferrari have yet managed to garner more points from the last four Grands Prix than any other team.
Credit must be given to the adaptability of the F-10, which has been able to shine at circuits of varying natures. Whereas Red Bull Racing’s RB6 has been widely touted as the fastest car on track this year, the vehicle has not been able to match the pace of
the F10 or the McLaren MP4-25 on the straights. The disadvantage became starker than ever at the Italian Grand Prix where neither of the Red Bull drivers managed to book their places in the top slot in the qualifying run.
After collecting the winner’s trophy at the podium in Monza, Alonso then made a visit to Ferrari’s factory in Maranello. The Scuderia driver thanked the staff for their role in assisting his championship ambitions and proudly showcased his hard won Monza
silverware. The Spanish driver had previously visited the factory a week before the Grand Prix in Italy, and said that the spirit of the workers had greatly helped to lift his optimism for the event. Alonso admitted the Scuderia had been somewhat shaken by
the less than fortunate Belgian campaign. He elaborated that his retirement at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit had made him cautious over what to expect in Monza. Nevertheless, Alonso remarked, he knew that as long as he gave his best on track, there was reason
to expect a positive outcome, and that was exactly what had happened in Italy.
The other Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa, also did not disappoint after clinching the third spot in Monza. With both Alonso and Massa now bagging valuable points for their team on a regular basis now, Ferrari are expected to give the rest of the field a tough
run at the upcoming Singaporean Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Red Bull hope to retain their advantage at the upcoming Singapore Grand prix, where the track is expected to suit the RB6’s agility around fast-corners. Ferrari will nevertheless be a source of worry for the Austrian side with the F10 regularly
proving its reliability on all tracks.
Red Bull have the consolation of currently leading both the drivers’ and the constructors’ standings, but Christian Horner’s side could see its advantage slip with Ferrari edging closer to the top spots in recent campaigns. Red Bull’s Mark Webber, who currently
leads the championship standings, was unable to add considerably to his point’s advantage after underperforming in Italy.
The Australian driver managed to secure the fourth position during qualifying, but soon lost out in the race owing to a poor start on race day - one that saw him slip down to the bottom of the top ten by the first turn on the Monza track. However, Webber
managed to climb back to the 6th spot by the end of the race. The Red Bull driver professed himself to be disappointed with his performance in Italy, even though championship rival Lewis Hamilton’s retirement gifted him the lead in drivers’ standings.
Webber said he should have extended his advantage by more than the few points a sixth-place finish had bagged him.
Tags: