Alonso: "The times we have come easily"

Good pace, despite the final crash, and more optimism than usual. Fernando Alonso has summarized the first practice of the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi with a bright tone after finishing with the third fastest time of the day.

"It's only Friday and we'll have to see what we can do, but we're a bit more optimistic than yesterday, because the car performed well on a track that has been improving every lap," said Alonso at the end of the double session. "Maybe our position in Q3 will not change much compared to previous races, but we hope to be closer to them-for Red Bull than we expected"

He admitted, however, that victory is farther from the podium: "Of course the victory is still extremely difficult," he said. "We felt good and times have come quite easily, but do not think that has changed."

"So maybe tomorrow we will be in the third row of the grid, but much closer than expected. If that's the case, then there are many more possibilities for the career, especially for the podium, which is always the main goal. "

On Sunday, again the soft configured as the clear choice: "We have very few media laps on the tires, we have focused more on the other compound, which I think the race could last between 16 and 18 laps. But hey, with the average over the last three or four races, especially on the last leg of the race, we have done very well, "admitted Ferdinand

About the accident in Turn 1 on the final leg of training said: "We lost 20 minutes, but Philip himself took advantage to be able to analyze tire wear at high load. So do not think that has affected us much."

He added that "as in India, two weeks ago, I've lost some time here in Abu Dhabi. There was due to the engine, which left me lying on one side of the track. And here, because a trip "said the double world champion Spaniard, who completed 45 laps between the two free practice sessions.

"I do not think there is a special problem of grip in the first corner of the circuit, but if you play the piano while braking, then yes you lose grip," said Alonso.

"My off-track at the same point that Vettel has some similarities with it, so maybe tomorrow we will try to enter the curve a little more for the center of the track and not go as the limit," he said.

"I'm angry for having lost some time, but especially sorry for the mechanics, who now have an extra work to fix the car. But I will try to reimburse morning with a good lap in qualifying," he said.