The Man in Red

Nine days before the start of the 2010 Formula 1 Championship Fernando Alonso spoke to Pino Allievi from the “Gazzetta dello Sport” daily.

Alonso, Italy is waiting for a miracle.
“My father always told me that a driver can win races and even titles, but if he doesn’t drive a Ferrari he hasn’t achieved anything. So here we are. I’m ready, I’ve come to Ferrari to win.”

From whom did you get this competitive attitude?
“I don’t know. Even when I’m eating my pudding I have to finish first. When I was a child coming back from school with my mother we raced, from traffic light to traffic light. And she had to let me win to avoid me becoming grumpy. I was a disaster!”

What does Ferrari have that the others don’t?
“Tradition, coherence, passion. Since the first day in Maranello I’ve seen that even the people responsible for the rear view mirrors show the same enthusiasm as if it was their car. There’s feeling, heart.”

Your teammate is Felipe Massa. Skilful and fast. Are you talking to each other? Did he give you any advice?
“Yes, regarding technical things of the car’s behaviour. The relationship with Ferrari is something personal and everybody lives it his own way.”

The competitors?
“Massa, Hamilton, Button, the two Red Bull drivers, Schumacher: I didn’t expect him to come back.”

There are many good drivers in F1, but in the end what is it that makes the difference?
“The head. The ten best drivers are extremely close together, if we exclude the car, the tyres and the team. The one who gives 100% prevails. There are drivers using 93% of their talent and others 97%: if one gets out 99% in 19 races, he’ll be World Champion.”

You have a family background where danger has always been the order of the day…
“My father was responsible for the explosives in mines. There were some explosions in the company’s depot where he worked and several people died. As I child I didn’t perceive risk at all.”

And today?
“I know what risk means and the one in traffic scares me more. Although the emotions come out before the start of the race, because this is the moment when you’re up for it, when it’s about your and the team’s expectations. But after five or six laps the stress fades out.”

Fatalistic?
“Yes. I think everything is set up for us, everybody has his own fate.”

When did you start earning money with races?
“At the age of 14 I won the kart World Championship and I was offered to change the team. I didn’t accept and they started paying me a symbolic fee for every race. So that’s more or less when I turned professional.

Are you keeping a race diary?
“I always have. I’m writing my feelings down, the changes regarding the car and my observations. I’ve got some notes I’m going through before every race; doubts generate tension. Adrenaline and anxiety generate mistakes.”

Quick decisions or do you meditate?
“Really fast decisions.”

They say that you are a good imitator of Aznar…
“Oh well, not all the imitations work out well.”

But you’re extremely good as a magician: is it important to hide the truth from your competitors in F1?
“Impossible. You’re always working under the eyes of everybody, so you can’t play tricks.”

Can you tell us now when you had the first serious contact with Ferrari?
“Last summer, when we were talking about a possibility for 2010. First we spoke about 2011, which was far away.”

Are you recognised in Italy?
“Yes, and the question was always the same: when are you coming to Ferrari? I was asked that by someone in a red Ferrari jacket when I was skiing in Madonna di Campiglio. He stopped and asked: So, when are you coming to Ferrari? I said: soon.”

Where did you learn Italian?
“Just by speaking it. I’ve never studied it. In fact when I’m writing in Italian it’s a disaster; I’m struggling with ligatures, I never know when to double v or p.”

Your wife Raquel is a famous singer: are you ever going to see her shows?
“Rarely. She’s giving around 50 concerts per year. I’m maybe going to see two. A very low percentage.…”

What did she say about you going to Ferrari?
“She was happy. We’re talking a lot about our respective lives an also about racing.”

You are a football fan: Milan, Inter, Juve or Roma?
“I grew up with Milan, which was the nightmare of my team Real Madrid. That’s why I really respect them.”