Adapted from GMM
Fernando Alonso has given a fascinating insight into how he rates his closest rivals in formula one.
The Ferrari driver was asked by the Spanish sports daily AS to summarise his feelings about challengers Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and his own teammate Felipe Massa.
On world champion Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso answered: "Very fast and precise. If he is coming first in a race, he is difficult to stop."
In the other Red Bull, Mark Webber is "experienced, calm and very consistent. It is very rare to see him fail."
According to Fernando Alonso, 2009 world champion Jenson Button "has a great instinct for difficult races in rain or with the safety car. This is an unique talent."
Michael Schumacher had a difficult return to F1 in 2010 but "he is the champion, we all respect him and he is a driver always capable of surprising", 29-year-old Alonso said.
Fernando Alonso said his own teammate Felipe Massa is "very quick, knows the team and is very hungry to win".
Arguably the highest praise, however, is reserved for Alonso's former arch nemesis Lewis Hamilton. "He is a great driver and maybe the fastest at the moment in formula one," he said.
The Ferrari driver believes F1's switch to Pirelli tyres will lead to more exciting races in 2011.
"The tyres are not lasting as long as (the Bridgestone's did) last year. After 15 or 20 laps they run out of life. I think it will change the way races are run this year; there will be different strategies and more pitstops. I hope this is good for the show, but for the teams and the drivers it will be a little more stressful," Fernando Alonso said in an interview with EFE news agency.
Fernando Alonso has given a fascinating insight into how he rates his closest rivals in formula one.
The Ferrari driver was asked by the Spanish sports daily AS to summarise his feelings about challengers Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber, Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and his own teammate Felipe Massa.
On world champion Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso answered: "Very fast and precise. If he is coming first in a race, he is difficult to stop."
In the other Red Bull, Mark Webber is "experienced, calm and very consistent. It is very rare to see him fail."
According to Fernando Alonso, 2009 world champion Jenson Button "has a great instinct for difficult races in rain or with the safety car. This is an unique talent."
Michael Schumacher had a difficult return to F1 in 2010 but "he is the champion, we all respect him and he is a driver always capable of surprising", 29-year-old Alonso said.
Fernando Alonso said his own teammate Felipe Massa is "very quick, knows the team and is very hungry to win".
Arguably the highest praise, however, is reserved for Alonso's former arch nemesis Lewis Hamilton. "He is a great driver and maybe the fastest at the moment in formula one," he said.
The Ferrari driver believes F1's switch to Pirelli tyres will lead to more exciting races in 2011.
"The tyres are not lasting as long as (the Bridgestone's did) last year. After 15 or 20 laps they run out of life. I think it will change the way races are run this year; there will be different strategies and more pitstops. I hope this is good for the show, but for the teams and the drivers it will be a little more stressful," Fernando Alonso said in an interview with EFE news agency.