Scuderia Ferrari
Fernando Alonso says that fifth place is a good result for Ferrari ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.
Alonso made it through to a wet Q3 in which he set the fifth fastest time.
"I think fifth is a good result in such a difficult qualifying session, especially as it’s the first time we’ve run in the wet with the new car and because from this position, a podium finish is possible, which is worth a lot of points," he said.
"We were lucky in Q1, when the rain came just after I’d done my quick lap and in Q2 we were also able to run when the track was at its best."
The Spaniard also believes that Mercedes, who claimed pole position courtesy of Lewis Hamilton, is ahead of their rivals.
"I knew that the results of free practice did not reflect the reality of the situation and that the hierarchy would only become clear today, with Mercedes a step ahead of the rest," he said. "It would also give a clearer picture than the one we had from testing, when we couldn’t be sure what the other teams were testing. Now we have seen in which areas we need to improve and the aim is to do so in the next few races."
Alonso added that finishing the race remains the priority for Ferrari.
"I don’t think the consumption factor will change things too much, because when saving fuel, all the cars lose half a second," he explained.
"On top of that, the weather will come into play tomorrow as the forecast isn’t clear. The priority is to finish the race and to do better than the others in the coming months. I am sure that with practice, we will learn how to get the most out of the car and simplify all the procedures."
