With the title battle now essentially a head-to-head between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, Ferrari has acknowledged that its F2012 was outclassed by Red Bull's improved single seater at Suzuka last weekend. "We cannot go at Sebastian's pace at the moment," Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo is quoted as saying by German Bild newspaper. "I expect a huge effort from our engineers now."
Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa, who finished second behind Vettel in Japan last Sunday, added: "Red Bull had a much faster car than everyone at Suzuka. It was hard fighting with them in qualifying and virtually impossible in the race," he is quoted by Brazil's Totlrace. "Let's see, but I hope that each track is a different story."
At Suzuka, Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali said he understood Alonso's frustration when he wrongly surmised that Ferrari had not improved the F2012 in the last six races. Spaniard Alonso said the media spotlight is always brightest on Ferrari. "A lot's been said about us," he said. "If we try a wing once, then don't use it, it becomes news, but these things happen regularly in all teams," insisted Alonso.
Ahead of Korea, where he will defend a mere 4-point advantage over Vettel with five races still to go, he said he is confident Ferrari can improve the car. But in Japan, even before seeing his championship lead shrink in the Suzuka gravel trap, Alonso had said his 2012 advantage was a "miracle".
Now, he insists: "We have not been gifted anything, indeed Spa and Suzuka deprived us of places that were easily within our grasp. It's not through some sort of divine miracle that we are in this position, it is down to the work of all us, from first to last."
Speaking at an Italian university this week, Montezemolo said he had spoken "at length" on the telephone with Alonso since Suzuka. "We will play to the end and I have great confidence in the drivers," he said, also referring to Brazilian Massa who is now expected to stay in 2013. "If Alonso had not been put out at Spa and Suzuka then we would still have a great safety (points) advantage," added the Italian. (GMM)
Montezemolo urges 'huge effort' from Ferrari for title battle
- Published on 11 Oct 2012 17:45
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Spain
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Red Bull Ring
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Silverstone
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Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
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Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 631
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 204
- Country Spain
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (45)
- Place of b. Oviedo, Spain
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 188,103 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
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Team profile
- Team name Ferrari
- Base Maranello, Italy
- Kimi Räikkönen 1
- Michael Schumacher 1
- Michael Schumacher 1
- Felipe Massa 2
- Fernando Alonso 3
- Felipe Massa 3
- Michael Schumacher 3
- Felipe Massa 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Sebastian Vettel 5
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Felipe Massa 5
- Michael Schumacher 5
- Michael Schumacher 5
- Felipe Massa 6
- Felipe Massa 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Felipe Massa 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Felipe Massa 7
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Charles Leclerc 16
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Lewis Hamilton 44
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 511,450 comments on Ferrari
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