Scuderia Ferrari
Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has ruled out the possibility of finishing on the podium at his home race in Spain this weekend.
Alonso, who claimed Ferrari's most recent Formula 1 victory at the race 12 months ago, claimed the team's maiden 2014 podium last time out in China.
But the Spaniard does not believe that he can repeat his result of three weeks ago.
"No, I don’t think so," he said when asked if he could claim a top three finish.
"We cannot start the weekend thinking to be on the podium. Or thinking to win the race. That will be creating false targets to everyone who will come here.
"We finished ninth and tenth in Bahrain, we did podium in China because we had some things putting together on that Sunday but it’s not that we are in a position now to say we will fight for the podium here.
"We will do our best but we know it is going to be a tough weekend and it’s not going to be easy. But, you never know, this is sport and anything can happen but today, sitting here, if I tell you that I will fight for the podium, probably I will lie to you and I don’t want to do so for all the people coming."
Alonso added that Ferrari has held several meetings as they acclimatise to life under new team principal Marco Mattiacci.
"We had some meetings, obviously, to try to help him in all the areas," he said. "He’s quite interested to listen to everyone. He called all the engineers and all the engine side, electronics, the drivers, we are going to his office and try to explain all our points of view and all our requirements.
"As I said, he’s taking note of everything and he will make the necessary changes, what he thinks is best for the team. Hopefully that’s a good thing for Ferrari to move forward and to improve some things, some historical mistakes that we’ve made in the past and we will see if this fresh approach... and not influence about any technical things because, as I said, he’s not an engineer. Hopefully that will help Ferrari."
