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Fernando Alonso says it was a 'miracle' he challenged for title

By Andrew BensonChief F1 writer

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1comments386

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso says his ability to battle for this year's drivers' title with Ferrari has been a "miracle".

The Spaniard lost out to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel by three points, despite having a car that failed to take pole position in the dry.

Alonso said he believed his performance during the season had raised his stock among Formula 1 fans.

"It was a miracle to see, race after race, what we managed to achieve," he added.

Sebastian Vettel wins F1 title

"I drove the best season of my life and now I can only think of the year to come.

"Before, people had a more or less good opinion of me, but now I notice a whole different level of respect.

"To be one of the greats of Formula 1, it's not enough to win titles; you must also tackle seasons like the one that has just ended."

That last remark will be interpreted by some as a subtle dig at German Vettel, who this year became only the third driver in history to win three consecutive titles but who has spent the vast majority of his short career in competitive cars.

Alonso, 31, also commented on Ferrari's decision last week to ask for a clarification on whether Vettel had completed an illegal overtaking move during the title-deciding Brazilian Grand Prix.

Videos appeared on the internet in the days immediately after the race that appeared to show the German passing a Toro Rosso in a yellow caution zone, where overtaking is forbidden - the penalty for which could have dropped Vettel back two places and made Alonso champion.

Governing body the FIA said the incident was not investigated during the race because Vettel had started the move after passing a green flag, indicating the end of the yellow zone, which was not easily visible on in-car footage from his car.

A graphics-free video proved this was the case.

Alonso said: "There were a lot of video clips on the internet and we knew our fans were asking for an explanation, so it was right for Ferrari to turn to the federation for clarification.

"We got a reply and I think everything has now calmed down.

"Frankly, I'm not that interested in what the opinion is of me in Germany or elsewhere. What I know is that people who see me in the streets hug me and call me gladiator or samurai."

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386 comments

  • Comment posted by keithstewart23, at 15:44 3 Dec 2012

    A lot of comments about Massa not being allowed to race. That's not the point. The point is that Alonso has benefitted from a team which only cares about him, whereas Hamilton and Vettel (to an extent) don't have that luxury. You could even say it is against the ethics of F1.

    Let's face it, the Ferrari improved so dramatically over the season because Massa was basically a test driver.

  • Comment posted by karlosTT, at 14:27 3 Dec 2012

    Not sure why people are reacting so extremely to Alonso's comments and calling him a cry baby.

    I think its the opposite - he's just saying thanks to his fans and those within the sport who have acknowledged his strong season, irrespective of (or despite) where the title ended up.....

    Seems fair enough to me.

  • Comment posted by ding-ding75, at 15:53 3 Dec 2012

    @136. Roberto Gomez Bolanos

    When it comes to a team that does everything for just one driver, Alonso has no equal.

    Renault deliberately crashing a car for Alonso's benefit
    Ferrari using team orders when it was banned
    Breaking Massa's gearbox to promote Alonso

    The list just goes on. The only team that never gave him that status was McLaren. Boy did he throw his toys out of the pram for that

  • Comment posted by Heethster, at 13:37 3 Dec 2012

    Only the most obtuse would argue against Alonso for driver of the year. He's come second by a couple points in a car that is at best 5 fastest after the two Reb Bulls and McLarens. Hamilton and Vettel have had the benefit of having the fastest cars on the grid - this doesn't mean that they aren't good drivers, but I'd argue that neither could have got as many points as Alonso in the Ferrari.

  • Comment posted by redsNWA, at 12:49 3 Dec 2012

    I am a little tired of people who keep going on about how Vettel's car was 2 second a lap faster than any other car. The Red Bull was not the fastest car in Brazil, or in Texas, or in Abu Dhabi. It was the fastest in India and Japan, but not in Singapore. It was pretty good (fastest) in Korea. But not in Monza, Hungary or Spa. So fastest in 3 of the last 10 races. Some dominance!

  • Comment posted by User0479006334, at 13:38 3 Dec 2012

    I must admit I'm not an Alonso fan but this year he has driven the wheels off that Ferarri and would have deserved the championship.

  • Comment posted by dontsendimdaahn, at 11:19 3 Dec 2012

    He went up in my estimation massively during 2012. I think he thoroughly deserved to win this year. Vettell was good too but if there were a way to handicap for the quality of the car, I'm sure the result would have been different. But there isn't and the responsibility for Alonso missing out rests solely with Ferrari.

  • Comment posted by User0992518767, at 12:18 3 Dec 2012

    How Alonso made a title challenge in a pretty mediocre Ferrari is the million pound question. Adrian Newey won the title for Vettel, granted Vettel still needed to be awesome in his cockpit. Adrian Newey should have his OBE upgraded to a knighthood, he ruddy deserves it.

  • Comment posted by James, at 11:30 3 Dec 2012

    I started the 2012 season as not an Alonso hater, but certainly not a fan. I didn't think much of him, but after this season and the utterly fabulous performances he's put in (first time since Schu in the Benetton where someone really has 'outdriven' their car) In my eyes, there is now no doubt that he is the best driver on the gridand what he's done I doubt even a prime MSC/Prost/Senna could do

  • Comment posted by User0951217961, at 23:20 3 Dec 2012

    180.bogbrush

    Newey gets far too much praise for RedBulls success. Rob Marshall is their chief designer, and it wasn't until Peter Prodromou took over the aerodynamics that they got to the forefront in that field. No coincidence that McLaren suffered when he left.

    Newey is good but not the god some make him out to be.

  • Comment posted by Wulfyn, at 12:43 3 Dec 2012

    Alonso is a genius. He has masterminded a way to be the only man in the world who can get praise from Ferrari for slagging off how bad Ferrari are.

  • Comment posted by gimn85, at 13:09 3 Dec 2012

    I think it is fair to say that Ferrari didn't have the fastest car on the grid. They were consistently behind the front pack in the majority of testing, practice and qualifying sessions. Alonso did a phenomenal job with a car that was only truly competitive through it's reliability.


    This doesn't detract from Vettel's title, though. He can only drive the car he has, and he did it very well!

  • Comment posted by User0696145681, at 17:49 3 Dec 2012

    @ 154 [hungryherbie] -

    Saying that you make you own luck in F1 is a bit like saying you make your own car.

    It's a decent soundbite, but it doesn't actually stand up to the scrutiny of logic.

  • Comment posted by User0951217961, at 18:23 3 Dec 2012

    159
    Roberto Gomez Bolanos

    Forza and multiply

  • Comment posted by User0625908285, at 16:03 3 Dec 2012

    @ Roberto Gomez Bolanos
    ... ist this you, Fernando Alonso Diaz?

  • Comment posted by User0482273429, at 12:07 3 Dec 2012

    Titles do mean everything to the drivers and fans alike but obviously don't tell the whole story. No one is going to convince me that Nelson Piquet (3) was as good as Senna (3) or that Scheckter (1) was better than Gilles Villeneuve (0). Just as Valentino Rossi had to move from Honda to Yamaha to allay suspicions that it was just the bike, so it will be with Vettel.

  • Comment posted by User0696145681, at 18:05 3 Dec 2012

    LOL - just seen LDM's comments about Uncle Bernie.

    "We must respect the elderly, especially when they can no longer control their words."

    Not down wiv the misuse of the acronym "LOL", but that genuinely did crease me...

  • Comment posted by goenzoy, at 21:48 3 Dec 2012

    177.janner_

    No surprise the Ferrari is quicker then a RedBull on a straight.
    Adrian Newey is any case a great designer but also before 2010 with Seb he last won a WC in 1999.
    A car is more then the designer also in the last 2 years with tyres playing in a lot of races
    the bigger role compared to Aerodynamics

  • Comment posted by Gezza, at 12:09 4 Dec 2012

    183.
    CoolKe.
    Lewis outqualifies Jenson 16-2, with 8 poles in 1 year to 1 pole in 3 yrs

    Lewis has 6 DNFs to JB's 2 DNFs and still finishes above him.

    Yet somehow - JB gets voted British Driver of the Year??? LOL


    Winning such titles is as much what goes on outside the car as in it. As a personality LH has had some bad episodes in and out of the car that did little to make people warm to him

  • Comment posted by ding-ding75, at 15:23 3 Dec 2012

    "Frankly, I'm not that interested in what the opinion is of me in Germany or elsewhere. What I know is that people who see me in the streets hug me and call me gladiator or samurai."

    I wonder what "streets" he is talking about?. They wouldn't be in Spain or Italy by any chance.

    One thing everyone can say about Alonso is he isn't very gracious in defeat

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