Fernando Alonso believes he is in “the best team in the world” after spearheading a Ferrari one-two on his debut for the team.
An element of luck played its part in Alonso’s 22nd career victory as Sebastian Vettel was poised to clinch a pole-to-flag triumph in yesterday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix until an engine problem scuppered his cause.
In the space of 20 seconds Vettel’s race turned on its head as with the loss of power he dropped from first to third, initially passed into the final corner by Alonso at the end of lap 34, and then into the first corner of lap 35 by Felipe Massa.
With Vettel losing two to three seconds per lap, it was not too long before Lewis Hamilton also took advantage to claim third to at least give McLaren something to smile about.
For team-mate Jenson Button, seventh was not what he would have anticipated after switching teams, and on the start of the defence of his world title.
But then this grand prix was not what anybody was anticipating as it failed to live up to all the pre-season hype as the new regulations – a ban on refuelling and one tyre change – turned it into the procession many feared, a point even Alonso remarked upon.
But there was no hiding his smile after a maiden outing for his new team to remember, clinching his first win since the Japanese Grand Prix of 2008 by 16 seconds to Massa.
“It means a lot,” said Massa, signed by Ferrari a year earlier than they had planned after losing patience with Kimi Raikkonen. “Obviously any victory means a lot, but this is a very special day for me.
“Returning to the top of the podium is always special, but this is even more so with Ferrari, with all the history behind the team and all the expectations a driver has when he drives for Ferrari.
“There is no better way to start the relationship. I am in the best team in the world.”
Vettel was naturally gutted to have missed out on a win he seemed to have in his pocket as there was no way Alonso would otherwise have found a way past.
Red Bull team chief Christian Horner said it was “cruel luck” that robbed the 22- year-old of victory, and the German added: “It’s a pity, but what can you do.
“From Saturday onwards, we were one of the quickest cars on track in all conditions, and then we had control of the race today and we were on top of the strategy. Everything was running smoothly.
“But then at some stage, I think about 15 to 20 laps from the end, you could see my lap times were getting slower.
“Luckily we could continue and finished fourth, but we should have won today. It cost us a lot.”
On his return after three-and-a-half years in retirement, Michael Schumacher had to be content with sixth, a place behind team-mate Nico Rosberg.