In the makeshift Scuderia Ferrari hospitality unit, floating on the Olympic Rowing Basin at this unique race track, Fernando Alonso initiated the Canadian GP media proceedings with his usual Thursday encounter with the press. As has been the case in Montreal once every four years the first topic concerned Spain’s chances in the upcoming football World Cup, in which it is the reigning champion.
“There are always ups and downs in football, but in recent years the team has made the whole country very happy and expectations will be high again and hopefully they will make us happy again!”
Then, it was onto the more serious matter of this weekend.
“It’s going to be tough on a track where once again the dominant factor is the power effect, not like Monaco or Barcelona,” said the Ferrari man. “It’s not going to be easy but I like the track and we have performed well here over the past four years, so I expect to have a good weekend, scoring good points. We have some updates that we have been working on for some weeks, testing them in the simulator. It’s a short lap so the times will be very close which means that one or two tenths can equate to six or seven positions.”
With one team being dominant so far this year, Fernando was asked at what point the Scuderia should concentrate on the 2015 season.
“We need to keep fighting for important goals and we have targets to achieve this year, maintained the Spaniard. “However we must not compromise next year’s project this year. We need to keep developing in 2014, because many things carry over for the following year. But if there is something fundamental for next year, obviously we mustn’t take any time away from that. I am not worried about this. Since Marco Mattiacci arrived, everything is moving in the right direction. He has good vision and a very clever approach and we are going to be stronger and stronger.”