15/11/2009
NEWS STORY
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Fernando Alonso's first time at a Ferrari event went down well with the thousands of fans at the Ricardo Tormo di Cheste circuit near Valencia, even though he and his 2010 teammate had to be rescued after an embarrassing off.
Under an almost summery sun more than 17,000 spectators attended the final day of the Finali Mondiali, the traditional end-of-season celebration for Ferrari since 1994.
Today was the first day that the entire 2010 Scuderia squad got together: alongside Alonso were Felipe Massa, Giancarlo Fisichella, Marc Gené and Luca Badoer.
Fernando's public debut as a Ferrarista started with an entertaining, though somewhat embarrassing episode. When the Spanish driver, in a Ferrari California with his future teammate Felipe and driven by Chairman Luca di Montezemolo, tried to get as close to the grandstands in turn 1 as possible, the car got stuck in the gravel in the run-off area.
The fans had a good view of the incident and time to greet their local hero. The trio were eventually 'rescued' by the second California driven by the President of the Comunita Valenciana, Fernando Camps, with Valencia's mayor Rita Barbera on board.
Once the three guests had been rescued they went for a walk along the main straight.
"This is a very important day for me, because here I can understand what the world of Ferrari is really like," Alonso told the fans. "In 2010 I hope to fight for the world title together with Felipe and that all the fans can be proud of us and our professionalism."