- United States Grand Prix - Ferrari
Alonso ready to take fight to Mercedes
Fernando Alonso says his focus in the United States Grand Prix will be to finish ahead of both Mercedes.
Mercedes leads Ferrari by 11 points in the constructors' championship with two races to go, with both teams closely matched in the fight for second place. Alonso said that he feels a podium will be possible in Austin but isn't concerned where he finishes as long as it eats in to Mercedes' advantage in the standings.
"I've had more impossible podiums in the past than this one," Alonso said. "But I don't think it's fair to think about the podium now because we start sixth and we can touch it. If you asked me two hours ago I would say a podium was impossible, so let's concentrate on the start and the first lap, hopefully not losing any positions. Then I would be happy just to beat Mercedes.
"I am here racing just to help the team to get second in the constructors' championship. If I finish ahead of both Mercedes here and in Brazil then we have a high chance to do it, so tomorrow that is the main goal. If it's a podium even better but it is not the end of the world."
Alonso also said that Ferrari had looked well off the pace in final practice due to the track temperature, but said the warmer qualifying and race suits the car more.
"I think the car was working better in qualifying. We keep struggling with the first sessions in the early morning with the cold track; we are not making the tyre work, it is hard to put temperature in the tyre. In the afternoons - yesterday and today - things improved a bit. It was very windy this afternoon so it was time to interpret a little but the wind direction and drive differently corner-by-corner depending on the wind intensity.
"So it was a tricky qualifying and today we had a good one, but it doesn't mask the problem that we came with, that we do not have enough pace. In a way our target in these two races for the constructors' championship. Today, after a difficult race so far, Nico [Rosberg] is 13th, Felipe [Massa] is 14th, [Lewis] Hamilton fifth and me sixth. So we are right there to fight them and try to beat them. Tomorrow is the time to deliver and at least we are in a position to do so."
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