Fernando Alonso expects an exciting qualifying session on Saturday at the Hockenheimring as the short lap time will mean very close gaps between the cars.
The Ferrari driver said:
I think Hockenhenheim can be a good race for us, why not?
The circuit is not too complicated. I think the times will be very short, the gap between the cars, because we will be running 1’15 more or less. So I expect a very tough battle in qualifying. Maybe with one or two tenths of a second more on the grid you could be second, or eighth or ninth.
We need to do a perfect weekend in Hockenheim. To maximise our potential we need to make the most of what we can do. After that I’m sure we can fight for the podium again.
Fernando Alonso
He added that the team is confident of a better result in Germany having taken just four points from the last two races:
I’ve been in Maranello for four days with the team, doing some preparation for the next races. I’ve been talking a lot with the technical people and I’ve been in the simulator as well doing some jobs for the team on the car.
Overall I feel there’s a very good atmosphere in the team. All the guys in Maranello are very focussed on fighting for this championship. After these two bad races people are even more motivated than before because we think that we deserve a good race finally.
Fernando Alonso
2010 German Grand Prix
Dev
21st July 2010, 15:10
if only Alonso keeps his cool and brings the car home… they for sure will fight for the podiums… so far he has made too many mistakes… Massa is not in good form also..
BasCB
21st July 2010, 15:38
I can share his optimism, they can hardly do any worse than the last 2 GP’s and they have most of it in their own hands.
As you said, Alonso must keep his cool. Massa had his off day in Silverstone as well, so should be OK again. And the team just has to learn to make the right choices if it rains.
Calum
21st July 2010, 15:31
Close qualifying if Mclaren update works, imagine 6 cars fighting for pole… in the rain!
BasCB
21st July 2010, 15:35
Make that 8 cars (with Nico Rosberg and Kubica in the mix as well) if Mercedes gets everything working.
Calum
21st July 2010, 16:03
Even better :) Bring on Hockenheim
bosyber
21st July 2010, 18:26
Sounds good, that would be brilliant! Lets hope everyone but Red Bull has new, working, updates then.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
21st July 2010, 15:37
Fernando, no-one deserves anything except by being quicker than the other guys. Karma isn’t in the FIA regulations. If you car blows up, it should have been built better. If a safety car comes between you and your rivals, that’s bad luck. If you get a penalty and a puncture trying to overtake people, you should work better at your overtaking.
At least you’re bring realistic about a podium.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
21st July 2010, 19:45
Luck isn’t in the FIA regulations. ;-)
Dan N
21st July 2010, 15:43
Could be the closest race to Canada so far if you factor in everything such as rain, tyres, upgrades etc. I for one am looking forward to it.
wasiF1
21st July 2010, 16:10
I hope they fight back as this two back to back GP is very important if they fail to do anything here then they may struggle for the rest of the championship.
PJA
21st July 2010, 17:59
If McLaren can get their updates working there may be a four way fight between Webber, Vettel, Alonso and Hamilton for pole, but I still think it will most likely be between the two Red Bulls.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
21st July 2010, 19:46
Hopefully it will be at least a four horse race.
Jay Menon
22nd July 2010, 1:35
I will be very surprised if Alonso makes the front row. 3rd is a realistic shot.
Alonso and Ferrari as a team need to put their mistakes and cock ups behind them now. They have to go for it. I sometimes feel that Alonso has be overdriving the car, which has led to making errors.
I think Ferrari realize the worst is over now, the only way is up. If they dont finish on the podium this weekend, that their season over.
RaulZ
22nd July 2010, 9:58
I think Alonso and Hamilton are the best drivers on championship. They are allways overdriving their cars. When they make mistakes everybody talks about it and how much unconscious they are, but they really add considerable value to the car.
For me it was beautifull last year watching Alonso fighting for the more points he could and Hamilton even winning races.
Thay are made one to each other.
Linda Weale
23rd July 2010, 19:48
Sorry but you are very mistaken about Hamilton being a good driver … yes now he is getting better but to begin with he was absolutely dreadful(this was cleverly disguised by Ron Dennis and the McLaren team)… he only won races that were well and truly (and glaringly)’fixed’.
Alonso on the other hand makes (and has made) very few ‘mistakes’ and luck has had nothing to do with the problems and setbacks he has had to endure since Hamilton came on to the F1 scene … open your eyes people and use your brains … when the F1 TV ratings/viewing figures start to plummet the dear old British F1 media/pundits/teams/veteran drivers and seemingly all and any concerned parties will virtually stop at nothing to get them soaring again!
Hamilton’s and Button’s dubious/convenient/coincidental recent Championship wins have gradually upped the ratings (and interest in the sport)once more and has ensured that the Silverstone circuit has not only survived but money from (Alonso’s original sponsors) Santander et al has gone a long way to renovating and refurbishing it (please note that this year it was named the Santander British Grand Prix??).
Ergo … I put it to you that Alonso was absolutely correct when he asserted that the Valencian race was ‘manipulated’ and I’m incensed that he was asked to retract his valid and authentic allegation … if anybody knows about manipulated races and has been the unsuccessful victim of many it’s ALONSO … whereas the many and diverse cheating strategies/schemes and game plans that have been used so far have almost invariably worked in Hamilton’s favour … poor old Jenson Button hasn’t got a hope in hell of gaining more points than Hamilton at the end of this season (if Ron Dennis has anything to do with it).
And of course now there is another team who are in the fray … Red Bull … we must have more teams and drivers competing for the title to make it more exciting … we must also have the occasional spectacular crash … cars colliding and/or careering into the barriers serves two purposes … it gets the safety car out which can seriously influence the outcome of the race (for the manipulators)and it’s also thrilling for the fans and spectators … and on that note I must tell you that I’m looking forward to the Hockenheim race on Sunday … stay alert peeps!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
23rd July 2010, 20:00
No it wasn’t, and the man himself had the good sense to retract those comments he made in the heat of the moment – as I wrote at the time: FIA must learn from Valencia shambles
Here’s what I think: Alonso is a terrific driver. And so is Hamilton.
I just wish people wouldn’t keep imagining these nonsense conspiracy theories, ignoring any number of facts, because they’ve taken one of them to heart and decided to hate the other.
BasCB
24th July 2010, 9:44
Hello Linda, i really enjoyed reading your coporate spionage novel there. Nice joke.
Alonso is a great driver, luck comes to the deserving, and he certainly is. In 2007 he made a mistake in being cought out by suddenly finding a kid getting at him. Now he’s at Ferrari and again has a chance to dice for the top spot. Great.
Hamilton is a really good driver as well. He has also improved a lot over the last years and its great to see him get the most out of his car as well.
I think the British GP was a sell out because both Lewis and Jenson are in a winning car, the great Silverstone rescue deal in the winter gaining it supporters as well as the return of Schumacher to F1 and having Alonso in a winning team.
Those factors certainly got TV-figueres up on last year all over the world, not just with a few million britons but with billions of people in the rest of Europe (Spain, Germany), the USA as well as Asia.
Nixon (@nixon)
22nd July 2010, 8:04
You are correct and but i do think that ALonso can be in the front row.
BBQ2
22nd July 2010, 8:05
Why is everybody going after Massa? Alonso took him out at Silverstone and MSC did his part in Canada. Everybody is just concentrating on Alonso ignoring the problems Massa is having bringing the F10’s tyres into operation.
Be fair please people!! :-( (NB: I am not a Ferrari fan but I believe in fairness)
RaulZ
22nd July 2010, 10:16
I don’t know if its bad luck or incompetence but Ferrari is suffering this year a lot of bad things. Alonso make mistakes/bad luck, but Massa is really the most unfortunate of both.