Fernando Alonso is expecting a tough battle for the championship this year, as Ferrari’s closest rivals begin to edge nearer.
The Spaniard took P1 in Bahrain and P4 in Australia to put him four points ahead of his teammate, Felipe Massa. Alonso isn’t getting too comfy in the top spot just yet, after McLaren showed some strong race pace in Melbourne.
Meanwhile, Red Bull, who clearly have the quickest car on the grid, have had a tough time. Their reliability, which plagued them in 2009, has yet again come back to haunt them, but Alonso knows, if they can string together a good weekend, they could quite easily catch-up with the leading pack.
“The McLarens, Red Bulls and Mercedes are our main rivals and only later in the year, will we see which of the eight drivers are in contention for the Drivers’ championship,” said Alonso.
“After just two races, everybody is still a contender and in the fight, even if currently the Red Bull is probably the quickest and they are the guys to watch at the moment, even if they have not put together the perfect weekend. When they do, they could finish a race first and second, so we cannot relax and must keep working to improve the car, especially as I expect McLaren and Mercedes to be more in the fight very soon.”
