Fernando Alonso: '2010 is a year of adaptation, 2011 will be easier'

On the sidelines of the 2010 Solidaria Santander Gala, an event organized by Banco Santander in Madrid, Fernando Alonso spoke about 2010 and his and Ferrari's prospects for the new year.

What is the balance of 2010 and how do you feel
“I think the 2010 balance sheet is very good. It is a year of which I will remember very strong emotions. It was the first year at Ferrari, the adaptation was rapid, more than what we thought. I had a lot of satisfaction, some good races and unforgettable victories, like in Monza for example, but also in Singapore and Korea. I think the whole year went by ten. Only in the last race did we lose the chance to win the World Championship, when we were leading in the very last race. Perhaps this is precisely the 0.5 we missed to get to a full ten, but in general perspective 2010 was very, very good.”

Are you confident? What do you expect from 2011?
“2011, from a personal point of view, will certainly be easier. I know the team, the working methods, the mechanics, in general I will be more 'comfortable'. 2010 was a year of adaptation.
I think for all the drivers who race for Ferrari the goal is, at the beginning of the year, to win the World Championship. And this must be our target. We know the competitiveness of Red Bull, Mclaren and Mercedes, but we are working to have a better, faster car. We are working towards this.”

What do you think would have needed to be improved on this year's car to bring it up to Red Bull's level?
“I think that, in 2010, our car performed well on almost all types of circuits, and this is a characteristic that allowed us to fight for the World Championship. I think we sometimes lacked a bit of competitiveness in some aspects. Aerodynamics in current Formula 1 is a very important aspect for overall competitiveness, and we will try to improve it for 2011, although we will not stop there and will also work on other aspects such as suspension, gearbox, engine. Next year, with the return of Pirelli, we will have to work hard to allow the car to adapt well to the new tyres, which will in any case be new for everyone. It will be a year with some changes, but I think we can be strong."

What are the key aspects of the new season, besides the tyres?
“I think the regulation has changed in three very important areas. Adaptation to the Pirelli tires will be important for everyone, we will have to try to be faster than the others. The return of the Kers could be a good change to encourage overtaking, so we will have to try to adapt our car as best as possible to its return. There will also be a mobile rear wing, also designed to facilitate overtaking. Overall, we will have to be quick to allow our car to work well despite all these changes.”

Do you think there will finally be more overtaking and more spectacle, with this new rear wing?
“Every year there is a change in this direction, aimed at encouraging overtaking and entertainment. I am confident that all these changes to the regulation, put together, can change something. Both the kers and the movable rear wing can give much greater speed than we could achieve this year, and for this reason I am confident that next year there can be some great races. “

When will we see the new car for 2011?
“I think we will see the new car for the first time in the last week of January at the time of its presentation. It will be a special moment both for the team and for those who have worked months and months to ensure that it can finally see the light."

Source: Scuderia Ferrari Press Office.

Alessandro Secchi – F1Grandprix