Amid Ferrari's performance crisis with the struggling F2012 car, the Italian team has emerged from the opening 'flyaway' races with a solid head of steam. He might be just fifth, but Fernando Alonso is a mere 10 points off the lead of the drivers' world championship, after a see-sawing pecking order emerged from the overseas races in Australia, Malaysia, China and Bahrain.
The Spanish driver admitted mere days ago that the F2012, at present, is perhaps the "sixth or seventh" best on the grid. But next up is the test at Mugello, where major upgrades to the car - so significant that some sections of the media are expecting a 'new Ferrari' - will be tested ahead of its Barcelona debut.
Sepang winner Alonso's latest surprise was to finish ahead of the best McLaren in Bahrain. "If we had said that beforehand, it would be unthinkable," he told Antena 3 television. "It was another race where we have limited the damage pretty well. We were eight points behind the leader, now it's 10. We have spent the first four races outside Europe losing ten points, which I think is more treasure than we deserve. For Montmelo (Barcelona) we have to be better. We have to stop depending on others and start depending on ourselves," added Alonso.
Asked how much he is expecting the F2012 to improve, the 30-year-old was coy. "I have said it could be one tenth, maybe two, one and a half ... but we may not be in the same situation as before."
Alonso was also critical of the stewards' decision to leave Nico Rosberg without a penalty on Sunday, after the German driver forced him off the circuit whilst defending position. "He also did the same to Hamilton, so it's two to zero for him (Rosberg)," said Alonso. "But if there was a wall there, you would have to be talking to someone else now ..."
On Twitter, he sarcastically added: "I think you are going to have fun in future races. You can defend position as you want and you can overtake outside the track! Enjoy!" (GMM)
Alonso surprised by succes of damage control for Ferrari
- Published on 23 Apr 2012 12:15
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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World Championship standings 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
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 McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
- Lewis Hamilton 1
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
- Mika Häkkinen 3
- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
- Jenson Button 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Jenson Button 22
- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 306,987 comments on McLaren
- 162 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about McLaren
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