Alonso apologises to team after missing front row

2013 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Fernando Alonso said he should have qualified on the front row of the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix but he made a mistake on his fastest lap.

The Ferrari driver admitted to “mixed feelings” after taking third on the grid – his highest starting position since the Bahrain Grand Prix – in a rain-hit qualifying session.

“I’m happy to be so up on the grid, finally, because we start between seventh and tenth in the last five or six grands prix which is not ideal,” said Alonso. “So being in the first three is good.”

“But not totally happy with my lap. I lost a lot of time. Not obviously to beat Seb, he’s too far in front of us, but I think for second place was not difficult.

“I lost something like seven or eight tenths in turn four running off the circuit in the paint area and losing a lot of time there.

“I think second could be possible but obviously not sad with third and all the opportunities for us in tomorrow’s race starting up at the front.”

Alonso said “sorry” to his team on the radio after the end of qualifying. Race engineer Andrea Stella replied: “I don’t think you ever have to say ‘sorry’ to us.”

2013 Brazilian Grand Prix

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Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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32 comments on “Alonso apologises to team after missing front row”

  1. Sadly this also means he won’t have started from the front row this season. The last time he failed to do so was back in 2001.

    1. Thats a pretty amazing stat, considering his reputation as a master on sunday rather than saturday

    2. The 2012 British Grand Prix was the last time if my memory serves me?

      1. @deej92 The last time he failed to do so in an entire season – so 2001 was his last season in which he didn’t start from the front row in any GP.

        1. @andea I meant the last race he started on the front row was Britain 2012, which is actually wrong it was Germany 2012 so my memory fails me!

  2. Fikri Harish (@)
    23rd November 2013, 19:44

    Stella’s radio message sealed the deal. I was never a fan of Alonso but speaking as a Ferrari fan, the team is very lucky to have a guy like Alonso driving for them, not that Alonso has much of a choice.

    1. Andrea Stella replied: “I don’t think you ever have to say ‘sorry’ to us, but ‘good bye’ will be good.”

  3. Yep, Stella’s reply pretty much sums up the state of affairs at Ferrari…

    1. Have no ideea what’s the REAL state of affairs between SF and ALO, but Ferrari must “pay” some respect to him, no doubt… especially given this year’s car. With what it was mostly the 4th fastest car on the grid… he managed to secure 2nd in the WDC. Could have happened the same thing in the WCC if Massa would have delivered not much more. Unfortunately, Massa doesn’t look like he could help turn things in Ferraris favour tomorrow, no matter if it’ll be a wet or dry race.

  4. The horse just isn’t prancing at the moment.

  5. So it also brings out the fact that Alonso slips at the most critical moment :(

    1. What’s critical in this race for ALO ??!?! He secured 2nd in the WDC, there’re few (real) chances they can turn things in their favour for 2nd place battle in the WCC, while a victory seems impossible if nothing happens to Vettel. Also, if the race will be dry, I have doubts he’s good for a podium position. So, personally, I really don’t see anything big that could happen to him tomorrow.

      1. @corrado-dub

        I think that with “most critical moment” he meant the most important part of his lap.

  6. I think it’s a great sign of maturity from Alonso to be so quick to put his hands up – fair play to him. Andrea Stella’s reply was equally touching – if the subtext for it is because of the failings of Ferrari to make a car to challenge Red Bull in recent seasons.

    1. @colossal-squid

      I think it’s a great sign of maturity from Alonso to be so quick to put his hands up – fair play to him.

      It would be if he hadn’t so often said how he git the best possible position with his car in times when his performance had been mediocre.

      1. @silence But he didn’t make any major errors in those qualifying sessions, and any errors he did make didn’t cost him many places. He made a mistake and apologised to the team. In a sport as ego driven as F1 such humility is rare. That’s all I’m pointing out.

  7. haha massive who cares

  8. Weird that he chose to apologize for this one and not the other 7-8 (at least) mediocre qualifyings this season.

    1. @silence
      Because in this one, he missed out on P2 rather than P7.

      1. @kingshark

        Still it was one of his best qualifying performances in ages. Very PR-savvy to “apologize” after a great performance but keep quiet after the mediocre ones. Quite clever.

        1. @silence
          How many times did Vettel “apologize” in 2012 when he was out-qualified by Webber 9 times out of 20?

          Alonso is under no obligation to apologize after everything he’s done for Ferrari in the past few years. Imagine how bad Ferrari would look if the seats were occupied by two Massa’s since 2010.

          Even Andrea Stella agrees with me on that.

          1. @kingshark

            How many times did Vettel “apologize” in 2012 when he was out-qualified by Webber 9 times out of 20?

            None that I know of. But that has nothing to do with this topic.

            Alonso is under no obligation to apologize

            Nor have I ever said or implied he is. I simply pointed out that this was not a sincere apologize but a PR-trick.

          2. *apology

          3. @silence you are absolutely right ….. all hes thinking in that moment was how his apology becomes talking point in media … ha ha ha ha ha …. hilarious … atleast hes not moaning and whining like hamilton .. lol

          4. @f1007 I see your well-articulated and and solid argument, and can only agree with it, “alonso_fan”.

    2. He’s blamed if he apologizes and he is blamed if he does not… guess he can do no right :)

      1. Yeah. Alonso always has an agenda. I mean how can he apologise to his team just to improve his image??

        Every driver on the grid should keep it real.. Just like Sebastian vettel

        1. @todfod

          Every driver on the grid should keep it real.. Just like Sebastian vettel

          I literally LMAO!!! Good one!

        2. @todfod How dare he apologize ;-) LOL

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