• Korean Grand Prix - FP2

Hamilton one of the favourites, says Alonso

Fernando Alonso finished second quickest on Friday © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• Report:
• Webber sets Friday pace in Korea
  
• News:
• Alonso hails 'best year in career'
  

• Race:
• Korean Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Lewis Hamilton

• Teams:
• Ferrari
• |
• McLaren

Despite having only completed two practice sessions for the inaugural Korean Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso has already singled out old rival Lewis Hamilton as one of the favourites to win Sunday's race.

Alonso finished the day second quickest ahead of the Englishman and thinks that it will remain very close between Ferrari and McLaren for the rest of the weekend.

"As usual the Red Bulls seem very competitive and the McLarens appear to be very strong here: in fact, Hamilton qualified third in Suzuka and I reckon he is one of the favourites to win this Grand Prix. However, I think the situation is different to that in Japan, where the championship leaders were clearly the favourites: here, we and McLaren could do something interesting.

"Various parameters make it difficult to make the right choices for the rest of the weekend: the evolution of the track which could even change the gear choice in key corners, the level of aerodynamic downforce and the possibility of rain on Sunday. Obviously, being a brand new track, we have nothing to base our decisions on: it will therefore team work will be even more important than usual."

Alonso was also full of praise for the new Korean International Circuit and said he could find little to criticise it.

"This track is nice to drive, very interesting with three sectors each different to the other. In the first one, you need a very good top speed, in the second there are fast corners, with the third one featuring slow turns: it will therefore be interesting to see what set-up choices the various teams will make for qualifying and the race. I like the part from Turn 4 to Turn 6, with very different lines and the possibility to overtake: it reminds me of the final sector of the Istanbul track.

"At the moment there is nothing particularly negative to flag up, apart from the fact the tyres wear rapidly, as in fact one could predict on a completely new track surface: it's not worth worrying about it, because the situation will have improved by Sunday and also, we are more or less all in the same situation."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.