Fernando Alonso was spared the Italian media's wrath after Ferrari opened its 2012 campaign with the troubled F2012 car. "Alonso once again saved Ferrari from disaster," said the authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport, after the Spanish driver drove the car to fifth place in Australia. The under-pressure Felipe Massa's opening race, however, "was a nightmare", the daily newspaper added.
Jaime Alguersuari, the former Toro Rosso driver who is now a media analyst, also praised fellow Spaniard Alonso. "For Ferrari, it is an unique advantage to have a driver like Fernando Alonso," he told El Mundo newspaper. "He did a sensational Sunday, with intelligence and ambition, which will push and raise the team, I'm sure."
Alonso remains confident. "There may be cars quicker than us now," he is quoted by Britain's Daily Mail, "but it's like Manchester United or Chelsea who play badly for a game but still win 1-0. Before this race we were working 24 hours (a day)," Alonso is quoted by Marca, "now it must be 25."
The Spanish press, however, is livid. "The fifth place is really a miracle," said the sports daily Marca. "The car is ridiculous, rendering the team a midfielder."
Jenson Button, meanwhile, received universal praise from the international press corps, as did the fact that Red Bull's dominance appears to have been knocked by McLaren. "That's good news for everybody except (Sebastian) Vettel," insisted Corriere dello Sport.
The fight, however, has just begun. "Vettel turned the middling new Red Bull into a good race car," said Gazzetta, referring to the German's performance on Sunday, "which is a warning to the opposition. He is still the world champion, and he will be hunting his first triumph of the year in Sepang."
Tuttosport, meanwhile, said Mercedes - which until Sunday's race was the talk of the Melbourne paddock - was the "big disappointment" of the 2012 opener. (GMM)
Italian media hails Alonso after fifth place in Australia
- Published on 20 Mar 2012 10:21
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Spain
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 631
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 204
- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (45)
- Place of b. Oviedo, ES
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 188,111 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
Team profile
- Team name Mercedes
- Base Brackley, Germany
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Nico Rosberg 4
- Nico Rosberg 6
- Michael Schumacher 7
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 8
- Nico Rosberg 9
- Lewis Hamilton 10
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli 12
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- George Russell 63
- Valtteri Bottas 77
- 638,839 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
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