Fernando Alonso says it’s impossible to predict who will win the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, believing one of five teams has the chance.
In addition, the Spaniard doesn’t expect any huge surprises like we witnessed last season when the opening seven races saw a different winner at each, but he does expect the season to be closely fought amongst a handful of drivers.
“No one knows who can win this race at this moment,” said the Ferrari man. “We have to answer some questions that winter testing never answers.
“It maybe is not the same as last year when we saw seven winners in seven races and it was mixed. This year with consistency in the rules I expect five top teams to have a little advantage and not to have many surprises in the first five races.
“From these top five it is hard to see who has the extra two or three tenths that can make you win. Now it is hard to choose one favourite.”
Whilst Red Bull head to Melbourne as favourites to win, Alonso says five teams in particular – those which finished in the top five in 2012 – all have the potential to win.
“Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus and Red Bull showed some potential on different days in testing and in different races last year. I think it’s difficult to choose,” he added.
Meanwhile, he is also positive about his own chances and says Ferrari will undoubtedly start 2013 in a better position than last season.
“I think it’s not difficult to start better than last year, it would be difficult to start any worse,” he joked.
“Winter has been much better than last year in understanding the car and working with the car and getting the results we more or less expect. This gives us confidence and optimism to start the season.
“We arrive here with 100 per cent of the potential of the car. Hopefully it is enough to be competitive.”
