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"When I arrived in 2010 I found a very
different car compared to the one I had
driven before," says Ferrari driver Fernando
Alonso, "this year I contributed and I think
that also my driving style had an influence
on the development." |
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Fernando let’s imagine a situation where
in Bahrain three cars are right one behind the other.
What can happen? The
mobile rear wing can only be used on one straight on a
lap, so the most important thing would be to arrive at
the last corner with less than 1.5 seconds behind the
car in front, which is really difficult. I don’t see the
possibility of many overtaking manoeuvres. I think that
it will still be difficult to overtake. And overtaking
will still include taking risk.
You will have one month and a half with 15
testing days. How will you use the time when you’re not
in the car? I think that also the days I’m not
testing will be very important and I’ll be at the track
anyway, when Felipe is in the car, following the tests
and the development. The data he can collect will be
also useful for me and vice versa.
Do you think that all the commands on the
steering wheel take a little bit the fun out of driving?
I think more than anything else that all these commands
make driving more difficult. It’s much more difficult
than you can imagine driving a Formula 1 single-seater.
As of this year there are two more buttons: to control
the wing and the Kers. Driving a GT is much more fun and
you can concentrate more on driving.
Do you have your perfect weight to drive this
year? The driving position is higher than last year.
Will this change your style? I started with my
preparations and I count on it to be 100% in shape for
Australia, because we want to be perfectly fit for the
races in Australia, Malaysia and China. Last week I rode
my bike a lot, went to swim, ran and did exercises for
my neck. The weight is fine. I don’t think that I’ll
have any problems with the Kers, also because the car’s
minimum weight has been upped to 640 kg. The seat and
the driving position won’t change the driver’s
perspective too much.
Could the new parameters like the tyre wear
influence your driving style? I don’t know. We
still have to test. We’ll find out if the higher tyre
wear is just mere speculation. Naturally one pit stop
instead of two means a lot in a race, because for one
stop you loose 25 seconds, which you might regain in 30
laps.
What pressure do you apply to yourself? Which
team do you think can set up a car, which can compete
with Ferrari? The pressure I put on myself is
high. The motivation in the first months of the year is
the same as every year. I think I’m part of a unique
team and also this presentation proofs it. The other
teams will present their cars at the first test, just
before they start to drive, and nobody will say
anything, neither the drivers nor the Chairmen. To
answer your question I think that Mercedes might have
the possibility to build a competitive car, but also
McLaren and Red Bull; we have to fight with them.
How much of yourself is in the car for 2011?
When I arrived in 2010 I found a very different car
compared to the one I had driven before. This year I
contributed and I think that also my driving style had
an influence on the development. Now I also know the
people in my team and I’ve got a good relationship with
them and I’m always putting them under pressure.
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