Fernando Alonso says he’s proud of what Ferrari achieved in his first year with the team.
Despite not having the fastest car, he and the team managed to stay in the hunt until the very end.
Although the final result was disappointing as the Spaniard lost out by just four points, the 29-year-old highlighted the teams comeback from a poor mid-season as a reason to push even harder next year.
“I’m proud of what the Scuderia managed to achieve this season,” he told a crowd in Valencia. “In a year when we did not have the best car, we managed to get to the last race still in with a great chance of winning the title after staging a really strong recovery.
“In a race like that last one, anything could happen, as this is a sport, not pure maths. The comeback we mounted from the mid-point of the season onwards, the way in which we all pulled together, more united than ever, is much more important.
“So much has been said about Abu Dhabi, but it’s easy to talk with hindsight. The team was very disappointed with the missed opportunity but Ferrari’s great strength is that they don’t sink into depression because of one mistake, on the contrary, we will react to be even more determined next year.”
The Ferrari driver is expecting another tough battle similar to 2010, but also believes Mercedes will be up there with Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
“Personally, I really want to start again. I expect again that four teams – us, Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull – will be in the fight for the top,” he concluded.
