Ferrari’s test driver has warned formula one rookie Lewis Hamilton to expect to be outpaced by Fernando Alonso in 2007.
Much is being made of 22-year-old Hamilton’s defeat of the reigning world champion recently in Bahrain, but 33-year-old Marc Gene said on Thursday that he expected the true pecking order at McLaren to be established soon.
“(Hamilton) has surprised everyone, including myself, and probably himself as well,” Gene told the Spanish newspaper Marca.
“But I am sure that Fernando will soon begin to get the upper hand, although of course I hope that Ferrari do most of the winning!
“I may be Spanish (like Alonso) but I am with Ferrari and we do not want Fernando to be winning,” Gene said.
He also refused to join calls for Kimi Raikkonen to up his game at Ferrari, after some have pointed out that the Finn seems to focus all of his energy into simply racing his car.
“Michael (Schumacher) would happily test all day, trying new things and thinking about his work constantly,” Gene noted, “but not everyone is the same.
“Thankfully, Ferrari is open to all personalities.”
