• Bahrain Grand Prix

Alonso could have won - Domenicali

Stefano Domenicali: "If you at least look at the lap times with no DRS you clearly understand that it was possible" © Getty Images

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• Race:
• Bahrain Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Stefano Domenicali

• Teams:
• Ferrari

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes Fernando Alonso could have won the Bahrain Grand Prix if it wasn't for his DRS problem.

Alonso finished the race in eighth place after having to pit twice in the opening ten laps to close an open DRS and run the whole race without the overtaking aid. Sebastian Vettel was already comfortably leading before Alonso's problem and went on to complete a dominant victory but Domenicali said Alonso's pace without DRS showed he could have taken victory.

"Honestly, Sebastian did a very good race but he was alone, he was able to control the pace," Domenicali said. "We know that when you have this kind of situation you are managing the tyres the best way that you can, we saw that at the last race on our side. Honestly I think that for sure for Fernando we could have done a very good race. I don't want to say we were able to win because it's easy to say that in words but theoretically I think it was possible. If you at least look at the lap times with no DRS you clearly understand that it was possible."

Despite another host of dropped points two races after Alonso crashed out in Malaysia, Domenicali is unconcerned by the early gap in the drivers' championship.

"[The gap is] 30 points, if you get zero points next time and we win it will be five. So it would be very easy, with only four races gone there's plenty of time; don't forget that we had 50 points last summer so easy stuff."

Domenicali agreed with Alonso that Ferrari had been unlucky but said he hoped its luck would turn soon if the team remains positive.

"It was a shame but in this moment it's better to keep our heads up, not to cry too much, for sure the biggest thing that is not positive is that we have less points than what we should have honestly if you put in place the real performance of the car. We could have been always on the podium and maybe add another win to the full race that we have done but that's the situation. So, heads up, look ahead and turn this bad luck of the day in Bahrain because I'm sure that the positives will come back and the negatives we had on our side maybe will affect the others soon."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.