Fernando Alonso is heading into next weekend's 2013 season opener with realistic expectations of a podium finish. "I think so," the 2012 title runner-up is quoted by Spain's El Pais newspaper during a sponsor event in Barcelona on Monday.
Fabled Ferrari has had a much better winter compared to a year ago, when the Maranello team was multiple seconds off the pace. Alonso fought back to lose the championship to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel by just 3 points, and he is expecting a similar contest in 2013.
"McLaren, Lotus will be there," he said. "And Mercedes, who have worked on this car since the middle of last season, have improved. But it would be a major surprise if Red Bull is not in front of everyone," said Alonso. "They should be able to win in Australia even with the car of Brazil (2012)."
He said his wish for 2013 is therefore to have a car "capable of fighting with the best". "Able to win races and podiums," the Spaniard clarified. "We can't forget that late last year we were 7 or 8 tenths behind the competition. So we will not be the fastest, but we will not be 1.6 seconds behind, as we were in Australia last year. But we are faster," he is quoted by the AS newspaper. "The base is infinitely better. I need a faster car to win, but two tenths (slower than the best) is enough."
Alonso said those trying to predict the Melbourne pecking-order based on winter testing will need to wait until next weekend to know the real answer. "Impossible," he said when asked how easy it is to extrapolate Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull and Lotus' true form based on the three Spanish tests. "You don't go to a training camp to see if Barca is going to win on Sunday, or watch Djokovic and Nadal warm up to know the winner. The first four or five races will be a surprise for everyone," added Alonso. (GMM)
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Alonso expects Red Bull Racing to lead pack in Australia
- Published on 05 Mar 2013 12:16
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Spain
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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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
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 628
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 197
- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (44)
- Place of b. Oviedo, ES
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 187,544 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
- 634,920 comments on Mercedes
- 59 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Mercedes
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