Fernando Alonso: The Lord in Red

Nine days before the start of the Formula 1 World Championship, Fernando Alonso talks to Gazzetta dello Sport, interviewed by Pino Allievi.

Alonso, Italy awaits the miracle...
“My father always told me that a driver can even win races or titles, but if he doesn't drive a Ferrari he isn't fulfilled. Now we're here. I'm ready, I came to Ferrari to win."

Where did you get this competitive character from?
"I would not know. Even eating dessert I have to finish before the others. When I was a kid and I came back from school accompanied by my mother, I did foot races, traffic lights after traffic lights. And she was forced to let me win to prevent me from throwing a tantrum. I was a mess! ”.

What does Ferrari have more than the others?
“Tradition, cohesion, passion. From the first day in Maranello I saw that even those who fit the rear-view mirror do so with the same commitment as if it were their car. There is feeling, heart”.

His teammate is Massa. Good and fast. Do you talk? Did he give you advice?
“Yes, on technical things that concern the behavior of the car. The relationship with Ferrari is instead a personal thing and everyone experiences it in their own way."

The opponents?
"Massa, Hamilton, Button, the two Red Bulls, Schumacher: I didn't think he would come back."

In F1 there are many very good drivers: what ultimately determines the difference?
"The head. The top ten drivers are divided by trifles, if we exclude the car, tires and team. Those who manage to bring out 100% of their qualities prevail. There are people who use 93% of their talent, others 97%: if someone brings out 99% for 19 races, he becomes world champion".

She comes from a family where danger has always been the order of the day...
“My father prepared explosives for the mines. There were a couple of explosions in the warehouses of the company where he worked and people died. But as a child I had no perception of risk."

And now?
“I know what danger is and in fact the danger in traffic scares me more. Even if, before the start, the emotion comes out, as it is the moment in which you put your and the team's expectations into play. Then, after 5-6 laps, the stress goes to zero."

Fatalist?
"Yes. I believe that everything is preordained, that there is a plan for each of us."

When did you start making money from racing?
“At fourteen I won the karting world championship and I had an offer to change teams. I didn't accept and they started paying me a symbolic amount per race. I more or less turned professional at that moment."

Do you keep a racing diary?
"Forever. I write down what I feel, the changes on the car and my observations. I wrote some notes that I read before every race, doubts generate tension. The adrenaline and the state of anxiety of those moments are the precursor to the error."

Quick or thoughtful decisions?
“Very quick”.

They say you are a careful imitator of Aznar…
“No, not all imitations are good for me”.

However, as a magician he is very good: is it important in F1 to hide the truth from rivals?
"Impossible. We always work in front of everyone's eyes, bluffs don't succeed."

Now can you point out when there was the first serious contact with Ferrari?
“Last summer, when we talked about a possibility for 2010. Before we were discussing 2011, it was a distant thing”.

Do they recognize you in Italy?
"Yes. The question is always the same: when are you going to Ferrari? A guy even asked me this while I was skiing in Madonna di Campiglio wearing a red Ferrari windbreaker. He stopped, he looked at me and said: well, when are you going to Ferrari? I told him I'll go there soon."

Where did you learn Italian?
“Speaking it. I've never studied it. In fact, when I have to write it's a nightmare, I struggle with doubles, I never know when there's a v or a p”.

Your wife Raquel is a well-known singer: does she attend his shows?
“Not much, she does 50 concerts a year, I go to one at most. The percentage is low..."

How did you comment on your move to Ferrari?
“She was happy. We talk a lot about our lives and therefore also about racing."

Are you a football fan: Milan, Inter, Juve or Roma?
“I grew up with Milan which was the nightmare of my team, Real Madrid. For this I respect him."

Ferrari.com