Fernando Alonso has broken Ferrari’s imposed silence to give encouragement to the staff back at the factory, as the Italian outfit bids to improve before the first race.
The team banned its drivers talking to the media in Barcelona in a bid to avoid them being asked questions they didn’t know the answers to.
Alonso though, took the time to offer some support after the teams technical director admitted podium finishes in the opening races were unlikely.
“Above all I want to thank you all [the staff] for the work you’ve done. These were some very intense months and weeks and I know that you’re giving it your all, that you’re working 24/7 on the track and here at the [factory] to provide me and Felipe with a strong car,” he told the Ferrari website.
“The new single-seater has some characteristics, which are difficult to understand and maybe we’re not where we want to be yet. But we’ve all lived through many Formula 1 seasons and we all know very well that until we’re in Australia, we don’t really know where we stand regarding to the others.
“There’s lots of talk and many ideas, but nobody knows the truth. For example yesterday Red Bull, considered by many to be the front-runner, had only a few laps and the last time on the sheet: if something similar had happened to us, hell would have broken loose, but here nobody really noticed it.
“More than ever we have to give it our all to improve, from the one who’s responsible for the rear-view mirror to the one who’s responsible for the piston. We’re united and we’re giving it our all, because we all want the same.”
The Spaniard highlighted Ferrari’s test times in 2010 when the outfit weren’t on the lead pace, but impressed at the season opener.
“I just want to remind you of an episode two years ago: at the last test in Barcelona we were fifth behind Red Bull, McLaren, Sauber and Force India and two weeks later we gained a one-two win in Bahrain. What counts is not to be first in the first race, but in November, at the end of the Championship….”
