F1: Alonso Bullish On 2013 Prospects

Formula 1

F1: Alonso Bullish On 2013 Prospects

Fernando Alonso is confident Ferrari can start off 2013 better than 2012...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted January 17, 2013 Balen (BEL)

Fernando Alonso finished runner-up in the 2012 World Championship. (Photo: Getty Images)

Fernando Alonso denies that Ferrari is "obliged" to win this season, having come so close to the World Championship last year, but concedes that he has high hopes for 2013.

“I don’t think there is necessarily an obligation to win,” said Alonso at a media event in Italy. “Sport means sacrifice, work, enjoyment of what one does, and for the past three years, I’ve been fortunate to be in the fight for important targets.

“There are 24 drivers in Formula One, and few of them can say they have won races and usually finished on the podium. Since I’ve been at Ferrari, two out of three times I have come very close to being World Champion, which is the target for me and for a team like ours, and I hope I can now make that three times out of four.

“I’m confident I can start the season with a better car than the one we had in the first few months of last year. It was actually in the early races that we lost decisive points, when we had a car that was only good enough for seventh, as was the case in China, or ninth in Bahrain. The fact we are working with just one wind tunnel, the Toyota one in Cologne, could be a small advantage.”

Alonso is full of praise for teammate Felipe Massa.

“I have always said that Felipe was one of the best drivers around, and I still remember that some people smiled when I said this last year," Alonso said. "He and I have always helped one another, day by day, and I expect him to always be very close to me in terms of performance. What was not normal was the difference between us over the past two years, but now I don’t think that will be the case. That will be a very positive factor for me and especially for the team.”

He is also pleased to have Pedro de la Rosa on board: “When there are new arrivals in high-level teams, it is always important. Pedro will work mainly on the simulator, an area where we were not at the same level as the best, and his experience will be useful.

“Having said that, it’s not the case that a new driver can change things or can do it in the simulator – there are and there will be further and more significant new arrivals that can make the team grow.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 28th season as a racing journalist in 2012. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.