He hasn't so far, with Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel
dominating the sport. But Alonso remains patient, and the Spaniard isn't
worried about failing to take advantage of his prime driving years.
"Not really, I've still got many years to come,"
Alonso said on Thursday at Ferrari's annual winter retreat in the Italian
Dolomites. "I'm 30 years old and there are guys racing at 42 or 43, so I
guess every year I will improve a little bit. Maybe as you get older you lose
some speed, but you gain experience so it compensates." While Alonso lost
the 2010 title to Vettel in the season's final race, he finished a
disappointing fourth in last year's driver standings, as Ferrari had a
problematic year with aerodynamics and tires.
Alonso took Ferrari's only victory last year at the British
Grand Prix and the team began working on the 2012 car at about the same time.
The new car will be publicly revealed on Feb. 3.
"I saw it in the wind tunnel, I saw the development
programs, but those are only numbers and lines on a computer," Alonso
said. "I can't say anything about how it will perform yet. We probably
won't know until the second or third race the real worth of the car." This
year's first test session is slated for the week of Feb. 6 in Jerez, Spain,
while the opening race of 2012 is in Melbourne, Australia on March 18.
Ferrari's domination in the past was due in part to its
unlimited testing at its private track in Fiorano, but series-wide testing bans
now limit that advantage.
Alonso stays fresh driving go-karts instead.
"It's like requiring (Lionel) Messi to train with a
tennis ball instead of a football, or (Rafael) Nadal to train with a ping-pong
racket," Alonso said. "I think they would have just as many problems
when they get back out on the field as we do." Former McLaren mastermind
Pat Fry took over as Ferrari's technical director midway through last season
and his impact could be felt more this year.
"When Pat arrived, he tried to change some things, and
he was surprised by some of the ways Ferrari works. But by combining his
different experience and approach, I think we can maximize our potential,"
Alonso said. "The team has improved in all areas.
"The team is working more effectively and in a more
efficient way the last couple months. Last year we had some problems with the
wind tunnel, otherwise the car was very good. If we do a good job (with the
car) we will be able to win races." But will Ferrari do enough to restore
its position as the F1 leader? "If I had a crystal ball I would tell
you," Alonso said. "But now it's Jan. 12 and I'm not optimistic or
pessimistic — but we're working every day."
