Fernando Alonso: “We hope to have fixed things. If we maintain this positive trend of the chassis and performance in corners, I hope to have a competitive weekend. But the most important thing is to be able to finish the race”
Fernando Alonso comes from experiencing a hard blow in Mexicoafter suffering problems with the Honda engine precisely on the weekend in which his car had the best performance to go for the points. Honda assured in Sao Paulo have implemented countermeasures so that these setbacks do not occur this weekend and the Spaniard was confident that this will not happen again on a weekend in which he considers that his chassis could give him options to fight for the points.
“Lately we have been more competitive. I would say since Sepang, which was a very good weekend there. Singapore was a little more difficult, but still better than the first part of the season. In Austin we were strong throughout the weekend, even with a car damaged in the race we were competitive and then, in Mexico, we found a good deal in terms of performance,” he commented.
“But reliability was not enough in Mexico and we hope to have fixed things for here. Interlagos is a less demanding circuit due to the height and so on, and if we maintain that positive trend of the chassis and performance in corners, I hope to have a competitive weekend and the most important thing is to be able to finish the race on Sunday,” he added.
Then, they asked him to be more specific: “What would it be like to be competitive?” “At this point in the season, where the cars are quite stable in terms of performance and improvements (because no one has evolutions), I would say that being competitive would be being 12th or 14th. That would pretty much be a competitive weekend for us. And if you start in those positions (the race), points are possible,” he explained.
“We already saw it in Mexico last week. I think Ryo Hirakawa was more or less where we started and with a pace similar to ours and ended up scoring. And that’s how we have to score: we have to be at the right time and right place, and to do that you always have to be at the top of the middle class.”added the Spaniard.
I would say that being competitive would be being 12th or 14th. We already saw it in Mexico last week. I think Ryo Hirakawa was more or less where we started and with a pace similar to ours and he ended up scoring
The man from Oviedo could ally himself with the weather difficulties if the rain appears on Saturday and Sunday, as the forecasts indicate for qualifying and the race. In this sense, the Spaniard is confident that the problems that the FIA had in Sepang with the engine software supplied to the teams for rainy conditions will not be repeated.
“I hope it doesn’t happen again, because there is quite a steep uphill after the last corner. If we have any problems we will end up far from the circuit. I think the problems were understood after Malaysia and I hope everything is fixed,” he said.
Many races during the year and triplets at the end
“I think there are many. Maybe, on the verge of being too many. Maybe the calendar is not very efficient: being in Brazil now, returning to Europe and in 10 days going to Las Vegas is quite a lot, taking into account the point of the season. But it is what it is and I don’t think there is a solution in place.”
Hamilton turns 400 races and joins his club
“I welcome him (to the 400 race club). It’s a huge number and I think more and more drivers will join this club with these long calendars. At 10 years old you already have more than 250 races. But obviously, Lewis has had an incredible career in F1 and he reaches 400 races and he has always been in a competitive position, so congratulations to him and I wish him a good race and a good weekend.
Obviously, Lewis Hamilton has had an incredible career in F1 and he reaches 400 races and he has always been in a competitive position, so congratulations to him and I wish him a good race and a good weekend.
Message for the debutant Camara
“Enjoy it. When you debut in F1 in your country it can be a lot of pressure and a lot of emotion. So the first thing is to enjoy yourself, do your job behind the wheel. You have the necessary talent and have everything you need to do well in F1 and be successful. The important thing is to start on the right foot and not put too much pressure on yourself.”
Senna and the legends of Brazil in F1
“We respect Brazil for its great champions, not just Senna. When I was on my path to becoming an F1 driver, I knew that Brazil was a country of great champions. Emerson, for example, who in Spain is quite popular, because we used to say, when someone was going fast to a place: Why are you going, Fittipaldi? Fittipaldi is very well known in Spain. Nelson, obviously. And Ayrton. It was his charisma, his character. Maybe he had something different from other champions, no. only the victories and world championships. I think Ayrton connected more with people, and that’s something you either have or you don’t have. If you want to connect with people, if you don’t do it naturally or you’re not yourself… I think that’s something that Ayrton didn’t need, maybe that’s the difference.”
We respect Brazil for its great champions, not just Senna. Ayrton was the charisma, his character. Maybe he had something different from other champions, not just the victories and world championships. I think Ayrton connected more with people, and that is something you either have or you don’t have.
His work at A14 Management, his pilot agency
“I am very involved. There are three of us in A14 Management and we try to help young drivers find their way in motorsport. We try to advise them and give them the support they need, particularly in the transition from karts to the next series. Some have the goal of reaching F1, others to win the 24H of Le Mans, and others want to be rally drivers. They all need and ask for different things.”
My role at A14 Management is to try to guide the pilots based on my experience and contact the teams and people I have met throughout my career and give them the possibility of fulfilling their dreams.
“My role at A14 Management is to try to guide them based on my experience and contact the teams and people that I have met throughout my career and give them the possibility of fulfilling their dreams. And I hope that they can have a career full of success and enjoy motorsports in the best possible way.”
“Motor racing is very complicated, very competitive and to achieve your goals you need luck, being at the right time and place, financial support, a team environment… not all drivers need the same team, karting drivers have to move to F4 or FRECA if their level is different… others, due to their personality or character, need a Spanish team or a team that has been successful in previous years, sometimes they have the talent but they can’t be on a winning team because they get too stressed… that’s part of my job, understand what they need.”
