At the Nurburgring, championship leader Fernando Alonso has urged Renault to give him a pole-winning strategy.
As Saturday dawns at the circuit in the Eifel mountains, the Spaniard was quoted by ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’ as wanting a fuel strategy geared to give him the quickest car after an hour of qualifying.
”The risk of incidents in the first corner are reduced if you start right at the front,” he said.
”So far our strategies have worked well, but stupid things can happen.”
But although Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher was his biggest rival on Friday, with McLaren runners buried in the pack, Alonso drew a blank when asked who could be his Sunday warrior.
He told reporters: ”It’s hard to say who will be our rivals because so many are so close.”
Germany’s Schumacher, who won a fortnight ago at Imola, thinks it can be him. His ‘248’ is again fitted with new bodywork for this event.
Asked on Friday afternoon if he would still be on Alonso’s pace at the end of 60 laps of the Nurburgring, the Ferrari racer replied: ”I think so.
”If we do everything right, we have a chance to win.”
Unlike Alonso, however, Schumacher does not overly prize pole position. ”Your strategy is so much more important,” he said.
But for his championship ambition, 37-year-old Schumacher expressed frustration that no-one else seems able to step up to the plate.
”I wish some other drivers were up there fighting as well, to take some more points away from him (Alonso).’
He said: ”I am surprised that McLaren are not looking … better than they do here.”
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
