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Ferrari will fight for the title next year - Domenicali

Ferrari will fight for the title next year - Domenicali

  • Published on 16 Oct 2013 13:37
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Stefano Domenicali insists Ferrari's Fernando Alonso era is just beginning. Actually, judging by the Spaniard's comments over the last six months, and rumours linking him with a switch to Red Bull or McLaren, one gets the impression Alonso is running out of patience after four consecutive years of failing to win the title in red.

"We are very Latin, very impatient," team boss Domenicali smiled to the Spanish sports daily AS. "But I was at Ferrari in 1993. And before. But with Michael Schumacher we finally won in 2000 -- and he had come in 1996." According to Domenicali's comparison with the ultra-successful Schumacher era, then, Alonso is due a title in 2014. "Yes, 100 per cent," said the Italian. "We will fight for the title next year."

But that has actually been a familiar refrain ever since Alonso joined, in 2010. Domenicali, however, insists Alonso's years in red have not been barren. "You need to see the results from another angle," he said. "Another perspective. The story of Fernando with Ferrari so far has been a tale of two championships lost in the last race."

"If we had won at least one of those two, the story would be extraordinary, fantastic. So it takes a bit of rationality. The Italian and Spanish have rationality between zero and zero-point-five," Domenicali smiled again. "I understand that the best driver, a driver who is a double world champion, always wants the opportunity to prove himself in a more competitive car."

Ferrari has Alonso under contract for several more seasons, but there have been rumours hinting at the Maranello team's interest in Sebastian Vettel, who is similarly committed in the medium term to Red Bull. Domenicali, however, said he thinks Alonso is better than Vettel.

"He (Vettel) is a great driver, there's no doubt," he said. "He has grown tremendously over the years -- just look at his teammate (Mark Webber). But as I have said, with all due respect, he has been able to fully exploit a car that was faster than ours, and that means a lot," added Domenicali.

So, notwithstanding all the recent rumours, he insists Ferrari is planning ahead with Alonso. "Ferrari and Fernando have to stick together; it is a challenge we have together," said Domenicali. "He has always said the same, so I don't know where these reports that suggest otherwise come from. It's normal that other teams want him, but Alonso has said what he said, and so to think otherwise is not to give credibility to what Alonso says. What we say is 'We want to win with Fernando' and we have a contract for three more years. What more can we say?" he added.

In fact, Domenicali said he hopes Alonso stays even longer than his current tenure. "I hope so, it would be nice," he said. "Fernando has said it too." (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Sebastian Vettel McLaren Ferrari

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Team
Points
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Red Bull Racing
822
2
Mercedes
392
3
Ferrari
390
4
McLaren
284
5
Aston Martin
272
6
Alpine F1
120
7
Williams
27
8
Alpha Tauri
21
9
Alfa Romeo Racing
16
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Haas F1
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
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Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
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Monte Carlo
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
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Gilles Villeneuve
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Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
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Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
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Circuit Zandvoort
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Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Country Spain
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, Spain
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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McLaren
McLaren
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