TODAY 19 MAY Exclusive Ferrari News

...action-packed 53 laps of the fantastic Suzuka track. “All things considered this was a positive day for us,” said Alonso at the finish. “On a circuit that seemed purpose built to show off the strengths of the Red Bull, we managed to get on the podium, losing just three points to the championship leader." "We had a bit of luck because Kubica’s retirement meant a potentially very strong rival was out of the reckoning. I did not make an ideal start, partly because of a problem with the clutch, but then I soon made up a place over Button. In the first part, we ran a defensive race, trying to keep the McLarens at a distance, especially Jenson, who was on a very different strategy to ours." "Then when we realised they were no longer a threat we tried to put the Red Bulls under a bit of pressure, but there was nothing to be done. Here they were perfect and when that happens they are really hard to beat. However, experience tells us that it is not always like this, or they would have already won the championship. So we must try and make the most of every opportunity."

We are trying to improve the F10 with every passing race: here for example we had a new oil from Shell and other minor aerodynamic updates. We will have further new parts in the next few races: maybe not so big but put together they could give us a few tenths which is always useful."

"We come out of this weekend with our heads held high, knowing that we must try and beat Webber in the coming races to close down the gap to the top.”

Alonso’s team-mate Felipe Massa had a very short race, knocked out at the very first corner as he was involved in a collision with Tonio Liuzzi in the Force India and his F10 was too badly damaged to continue. 

“I think I was really cursed!” said Massa.

“In qualifying, because of traffic, I failed to get into Q3. This afternoon in the race, I didn’t even manage to get through the first two corners. At the start, Rosberg, who was in front of me, got away poorly and at first I tried to move to the left, but Sutil was coming there."

"Then I moved to the right, but in so doing I found myself on the grass and the kerb. At that point the car took off on its own, I was unable to make it through the first corner and I ended up colliding with Liuzzi’s Force India. It’s a shame, because as Fernando showed, in the race our car had a good pace and I could have fought for a points finish."

"The main problem is still qualifying: again today I struggled, even if traffic played its part. In the race, the situation is better but we know how difficult it is to overtake. These past two races have been frustrating for me but we have seen many times this year how quickly the situation can change: I will be trying my very best in the remaining three Grand Prix.”

Alonso is still second in the Drivers’ championship, but the gap to the leader Mark Webber, who came second, has grown from 11 to 14 points. The Ferrari man is now equal on points with today’s winner, Sebastian Vettel, but is ranked second as he has one more victory than the German.

In the Constructors’ classification, the Scuderia is still third, but here too, the gap to the leaders has grown from 64 to 92 points.

“We knew that, at this track, Red Bull would be very strong and as we saw this morning, other teams also proved to be competitive,” explained Ferrari Team Director, Stefano Domenicali. “This third place is therefore a great result, in line with our game plan and it keeps us right in with a chance in the Drivers’ championship."

"Unfortunately, the situation in the Constructors’ took a knock because Felipe had to retire after the accident at the start. I am very disappointed for our driver, who despite a less than brilliant grid position had every chance of having a good race."

"There are three Grands Prix to go in this championship which is proving very hard to predict: it will be vital to concentrate all the time and give our utmost, day after day. As we have said for a while now, the maths can wait until Abu Dhabi on 14 November. Finally, I want to congratulate our customer teams, who brought home a further three Ferrari engines in the top ten.”

The enthusiastic Japanese crowd certainly got good value for money today, watching not just the race, but, in the morning, qualifying too. In fact, the excitement began before the start, as Di Grassi destroyed his Virgin going out to the grid.

Then, as soon as the lights went out, Hulkenberg and Petrov collided, with the Renault ending up in the barrier at the side of the grid. Going into the first corner, Vettel led from pole, while Kubica made a great start from third to tuck his Renault in behind the German and ahead of Webber, so that Fernando was in his grid position, fourth.

Further back, Felipe was hit by Liuzzi and both men spun off into the gravel at Turn 1, so that the Safety Car made a very early appearance, staying out until the end of lap 6. Fernando was promoted to third when Kubica retired on lap 2 and from then on, the Ferrari man was generally around 2 seconds behind Webber with the McLaren duo of Button and Hamilton behind him.

On lap 24, Vettel and Fernando made their one pit stop to change tyres, so that Webber led for a lap until he too came in, which left Button in the lead, the Englishman eventually pitting much later than the other front runners on lap 38.

There were some good scraps further down the order, with Rosberg holding off his Mercedes team-mate, Schumacher for much of the race until the younger man spun off the track. Delighting the crowds was the Japanese driver Kobayashi, who first came to prominence with a great drive here last year. The Sauber man, on fresh tyres, charged up the order in the closing stages to come home seventh.

Once Button had pitted, the old order resumed at the front, with the two Red Bulls ahead of Fernando, followed by Button who got the better of his team-mate, as Hamilton had a gearbox problem. That would remain the order to the flag, with Schumacher finishing sixth ahead of the aforementioned Kobayashi, whose team-mate Heidfeld was eighth.

Barrichello was ninth and Buemi was tenth for Toro Rosso, meaning that along with the two Saubers, no less than four Ferrari engines finished in the top ten.

“A very tough day for the entire team, with qualifying and the race squeezed into just a few hours,” said Ferrari Team Manager Chris Dyer. “The day did not get off to an easy start: Fernando did not get a perfect lap in qualifying and Felipe had problems that kept him from making it to Q3.

"At the start, we immediately lost Felipe and that is very disappointing as he could still have had a good race. Fernando drove a great race, obtaining the maximum we could have hoped for in a Grand Prix where we did not have the pace to beat the Red Bulls: he drove almost the entire time as if it was a qualifying session."

Next stop, the new adventure that is Korea, in two weekend’s time.