Saturday: Ferrari Closer Than Ever to Red Bull on the Grid
Despite Nico Hülkenberg's presence, the Ferrari drivers believe that their starting positions tomorrow offer them the opportunity to be closer than ever to the Red Bulls this season at the start. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso comments on the "controversy" of his radio messages and highlights the good work of Felipe Massa and his team.
Felipe Massa – 7th and 4th:
« I am very happy with this qualification because, compared to yesterday, the car has improved and it makes me confident for the race. In Q3, I managed to do a very good lap, taking full advantage of Webber’s slipstream. It was a great help to have him four seconds ahead of me, and even though I may have lost time at Ascari, I am still satisfied with my performance. We were fully aware that on a circuit like this, it would be very important to have both cars in the top 4 and that tomorrow’s race will be tough. Even if the weather forecasts are uncertain, we will be ready for anything and will do our best to extract all the potential from the car. It would be fantastic to give all the fans who are here for our home race, supporting us with so much affection, a reason to be happy. »
Fernando Alonso – 2nd and 5th:
« The day went well compared to recent race qualifications, with the car being competitive, allowing us to fight with the best. Obviously, we weren’t at the same level as the Red Bulls, which performed well all weekend, but the race is tomorrow and we are starting from what is still a good position. Here in Monza, the slipstream strategy is often used: having a car three or four seconds ahead of you allows you to gain a few tenths, and for that, I thank Felipe, especially in Q3 when he positioned himself behind Vergne’s Toro Rosso and waited for me. The radio messages were misunderstood, as is often the case when you are not experiencing things live: the term genius refers to the fact that we could have gone out before Rosberg started his fast lap, but it should not cast any doubt on the impeccable work of the entire team. Today, we were able to be competitive in all three sessions and closer than ever to the Red Bull rear wings: for the first time, there aren’t many cars between them and us, except for Hülkenberg, who was very strong in Q3. We will need to try to pass him in the first lap to prevent them from escaping. »
