Friday: Alonso and Ferrari hit, but not sunk

Fernando Alonso – 4th and 3rd:

Today, almost everything happened to us with various mechanical problems, and we didn’t manage to test everything we wanted, but all the elements that failed can be changed, and thanks to Felipe, we have all the necessary information to do well in qualifying and in the race.

Even though the day was complicated, it was still positive: it’s good that everything happened to us today because we need to try to avoid problems tomorrow and Sunday. I am optimistic about the car’s balance, which we didn’t need to correct between Free Practice 1 and 2.

I expect that we will see different strategies in qualifying because there seems to be very little difference between the Mediums and the Hards.

Compared to Spa, we are on pace here, maybe we have a bit more downforce and gain some time in the two Lesmos and the second chicane, while we lose some in the first sector with its long straights. We will analyze these details tonight and tomorrow we will try to improve our top speed as well, which was probably our weak point today.

Felipe Massa – 5th and 4th:

« It’s a positive day because I managed to make the most of my track time, completing the entire program we set for ourselves for this Friday. I did many laps on both types of tires, in the morning and the afternoon, including a long stint to evaluate the car’s behavior as much as possible.

For the moment, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between the two compounds in terms of performance, as we have seen with the lap times of the other drivers. It remains to be seen how it will go tomorrow because the difference could become greater with the improvement of track conditions, which will be an important factor for qualifying and the race.

I am also satisfied with my times as I have always been among the fastest during both sessions. We will try to improve the car’s setup a bit more tomorrow, but I am confident for the rest of the weekend. I am very happy to be here in Monza, in front of our fans, and I really hope that this positive day is a good start before aiming for a great result for them.

It should be noted that from a regulatory standpoint, Fernando Alonso was allowed to change his gearbox without penalty, as the failure of his gearbox was due to circumstances beyond the control of the driver and/or the team. However, Ferrari has not yet installed the new gearbox, preferring to use a gearbox that has already been used during the season and was likely at the end of its cycle. Ferrari will therefore install the new gearbox on the Spaniard’s car overnight, and it will be considered used, hence it must last for five consecutive Grand Prix from the moment Fernando Alonso leaves the pit lane during Free Practice 3.