14/01/2010
NEWS STORY
 |
Fernando Alonso has said that joining Ferrari is like a "dream come true", the Spaniard admitting that he is blown away by the passion of the team and its fans.
Speaking at Ferrari's media event in the Dolomites, the two-time champion, essentially appearing in the colours of the legendary Scuderia for the first time, said: "I'm having a fantastic time here with skiing and work, but especially benefiting from this extraordinary opportunity to get to know my teammates Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella better."
Asked about his initial impressions of the team, he replied: "I immediately had a good feeling with every part of the team and everybody was extremely available for me, trying to satisfy my needs and my proposals as good as possible.
"I was really impressed by the passion you can feel in Maranello," he continued, "everywhere in the company and in the city. The legendary history of the Prancing Horse can be seen in everything. I think that Ferrari is much more than just a Formula One team. For me like for anybody it's a dream come true."
Asked how he feels the new rules for 2010, in particular the lack of refuelling, will affect the racing, Alonso replied: "Considering that the times to change the tyres are more or less the same for all the teams, a good position in the qualifying will be fundamental, so a good Saturday will be more important than the race itself. Naturally the fuel consumption will play a crucial role, but I know that the team is working very hard with Shell regarding this issue, so I'm really calm."
While not wishing to pass comment on Bernie Ecclestone's suggestion that 'shortcuts' be introduced in an attempt to allow overtaking, the Spaniard does believe that something is needed to improve the show. "There's a commission working to add more show to this sport and we drivers trust in them," he said, "because our main commitment is to stay concentrated on our work."
A couple of years ago Alonso was the enemy, fighting the Tifosi's hero Michael Schumacher for the title, the Spaniard winning out in 2005 and 2006. This year, after an absence of three seasons, Schumacher returns but with a rival team.
"For a driver, who was at the top it must be difficult to stay at home," said the Spaniard, "because the adrenaline remains. He accepted this opportunity, because he feels to be ready and still competitive. I think that his comeback can only help this sport, especially after such a difficult year as we had in 2009. His presence on the track will be a further impulse."
"Racing with Ferrari was my objective and I'll certainly end my career with this fantastic team," he added, a comment that could be taken in all manner of ways. "I think that it's impossible to find the same passion somewhere else. I need to adapt rapidly to the car, despite the few days for testing, although I think that to reach the best performance we need to wait until the third or fourth race."