Alonso believes that Ferrari can be the reference of F1 2022

The first week of testing of the 2022 preseason, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, does not allow an obvious conclusion to be drawn about the performance of the cars, but it does leave more or less clear sensations.

The nature of the tests, where nobody knows what the rival is testing, prevents knowing for sure the natural order of the grid, although almost everyone agrees on something: Ferrari is strong.

With no need to use the softer tyres, the Italians were among the quickest from the start, and were unfazed when their rivals began to take advantage of Pirelli ‘s better compounds to overtake them in the table on the final day.

Although obviously from Maranello they take off the favorite sign, their rivals point them out. Russell said that Mercedes is behind Ferrari; Red Bull, which sees them as very strong, and McLaren, which Ferrari are the ones that gave the best impression.

Fernando Alonso also spoke about his former team when asked if any car had surprised him in testing, and although he believes that Red Bull Racing has not shown all its cards and Mercedes is there, he sees Ferrari as a surprise.

“I have not paid much attention,” he declared in an interview with TVE . “On the track these days Ferrari seem to be the fastest car and it was a bit of a surprise. Mercedes was fast too. Red Bull was hiding…”

Despite the new rules, Alonso believes that the same teams continue to dominate, and that Alpine still cannot measure up to them. “The TOP teams continue to be the reference. We have focused more on reliability and we have not looked for times yet. We must admit that we are not as fast as them today, so there is work to be done”.

When asked if everything is already known or if he has discovered something special about his rivals, he commented: “We already know everything. Ferrari can be a benchmark team and car. It is good news for Carlos Sainz and for Spain in general. He and Leclerc are going to be strong rivals.”

The interview with TVE was on Thursday, after a first day in which he enjoyed intense mileage with the Alpine and before on Friday, in the final, the engine only lasted 12 laps.

Regarding that first day, the only complete one that he could dispute, he had declared: “I have a mixed feeling in the first days with the car”.

“Some are positive, because we see that everything that we had tested in the simulations is being fulfilled on the track. There are also youth problems with the car that we are discovering and we have to look for solutions. We are in a very competitive world and when we see the times of our rivals creates a bit of doubt in us”.

In the end, and despite the fact that Alpine enjoyed encouraging reliability in the first two days (only Ferrari and AlphaTauri had lapped more), the breakdown in the third session put a brake on their numbers.

Now, Alpine has a lot of work to do before the second week of testing, which takes place from 10 to 12 at the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir , where the world championships will start just a few days later.

Enjoy with the photos of Fernando Alonso in the Barcelona test

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 A522

1 / 50

Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 A522

2 / 50

Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 A522

3 / 50

Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 A522

4 / 50

Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522

5 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522

6 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522

7 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522

8 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team

9 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo C42, Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522

10 / 50

Foto de: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Marshals after Fernando Alonso’s technical problem, Alpine F1 Team

11 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522

12 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team with James Moy, photographer, after his engine problems

13 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team

14 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

15 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

16 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

17 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

18 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

19 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

20 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

21 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

22 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

23 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

24 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A522, engine problems

25 / 50

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, at the press conference

26 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia AlphaTauri, at the press conference

27 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, of the Alpine F1 team, at the press conference

28 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, at the press conference

29 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia AlphaTauri, at the press conference

30 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia AlphaTauri, at the press conference

31 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, at the press conference

32 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia AlphaTauri, at the press conference

33 / 50

Photo by: Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images

Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Fernando Alonso, Alpine F1 Team, Yuki Tsunoda, Scuderia AlphaTauri, at the press conference