Marca interview

[Chrissie]

Here is an example of just how bored I am....for all of you, my fellow forumers, I have spent pretty much the whole day translating this interview Fernando did with Marca during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.....it's a long one, though there's nothing awfully sensational in it or anything but it's a nice read. Now, my Spanish isn't fantastic so if there's a bit you don't understand or that sounds weird feel free to let me know and I'll try to explain it a bit better

Quote:"If we don't win the world championship it will be because we have done something wrong"

Fernando Alonso (Oviedo, 1981) is still convinced that his chances of being world champion this year remain intact. In this exclusive interview with Marca, the Asturian rejects the widespread thought that he is anxious about being able to match his move to Ferrari with wins.

Q. At this stage of the championship, do you sense that the press and the fans are worried?
A. I don't know, from the outside, the races and the results are always seen differently but within the team we are very calm and happy because we continue with the potential to achieve the same goal, to be champions. We have done good races and bad races and, of course, we know that the bad results have more impact because we are Ferrari.
People expect alot from us, that we will always be winning, and this is not always possible. But this is what happens when you are in a big team, like playing for Madrid or Barcelona; if they lose two consecutive matches, it has more of an impact than if they lost the league. Everything is exaggerated.

Q. Really you are just 14 points behind, and with the old points system you would only be four behind, and with the championship being so tight this year, you could leave Canada as the leader.
A. Yes. I have been in the top three all year and with the distances that there are in terms of points, after any race, anyone could take the lead in the championship. Because of this, we are calm and we know what the repercussions of having a bad race are. And we accept that, without panicking.

Q. We are nearly at the midpoint of the season and you are fourth, with one victory. Would you have been happy with that before the start of the season?
A. Yes, I think so. The winter was very good, the car was very good from the moment we started testing in Valencia. We had high hopes of having a good start to the championship, but thinking about it, when we presented the car in January at Maranello, if we had known that we would be 14 points from the leader, then yes, we would have been happy with this situation.
Among other things, we knew how difficult this season would be. Last year, Ferrari finished the season with good drivers like Fisichella and Badoer struggling to get out of Q1, so in this respect there has been much improvement and the team did a great job to arrive at this season prepared. Later on, winning or not, is decided by the little details and by the development of the cars but at least we are now one of the contenders for the championship.

Q. Now, we are seeing battles between team-mates of other teams, crashes, team orders or not, etc. Those who criticised you for your overtake on Massa in China, did they jump the gun or is it that they didn't understand that in this sport there are times when you have to pass your team-mate?
A. These controversies are always there for the media in F1, for all the interests that there are. Depending on the country it's from, the media are always trying to destabilise one team or another. During the winter, already they were trying to create controversy, but it was not the case. Later, in China, they took their head out of the water and made a lot of noise about it for a week but nothing happened.

Q. And now?
A. And now, nothing is happening. But the situation is such that any gesture we make can be interpreted in such a way that can be used to try destabilise the team.

Q. You asked for a little time to adapt to Ferrari at the start of the season – how does one come to feel at home in a team once considered a big rival?
A. It was a quick adaptation, already since November of last year I was making regular contact with the team and then since January it was a very intense pre-season, working with the factory and the simulator. So we arrived at the first few races in a good position.
After four or five races, I already knew everyone better, I knew the names of all the mechanics, something I didn’t know at the beginning so now I have more confidence. Also, it is a very open team and at every race, they do something together or have dinner every Thursday before a race. There is always something new that I had not experienced before.

Q. Do you notice more the similarities between McLaren and Ferrari, the two greatest teams in the history of the sport, or the differences?
A. Both teams are very different, both are vey good and have always dominated F1 but the way they work and their philosophies are different. Here, the atmosphere is more familiar, they are much more proud to be working for the team, for the brand and they have a lot of passion for it.

Q. The fact that the team dispensed with Raikkonen’s existing contract, therefore placing their trust in you, did that give you extra motivation to win, to push beyond the abilities of the car, in order to return this trust and did it make you already want to win the world championship for them?
A. No, that was not the feeling that I had when I arrived nor the feeling I have now. They decided to dispense with Raikkonen and I arrived with great desire after many years of rumours. It seemed that every year I was going to come here but in the end it never happened. It was something I really wanted and, yes, I arrived wanting to give them success, but I wasn’t obsessed with the idea.

Q. They are not able to reciprocate these desires?
A. Hmm, no, I am quite cold and methodical in the way that I prepare for a grand prix, sometimes it goes well, other times, not so much, but I don’t let myself get carried away with feelings or desires.

Q. Your situation could be compared to that of Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid? Much was expected of him, he generated a lot of excitement, but then, accomplishing nothing came as a disappointment. Now, with you, in the best team and considered to be the best driver, will there be disappointment if you don’t win the title?
A. No, I think that this is part of sport. It’s not purely mathematics, you see it also in football, at times the best players don’t always win. In the Confederations Cup, the USA beat us in the semi-finals, when they could play 30 times and Spain would win 29 times, just this time the Americans won.
Sport is like that, it is complicated. Ferrari is the best team, but to not win, rather than see it as a disappointment, we think how can we improve, because it is up to us to win. We are a team with great potential and technical ability and if we don’t win it will be because we have done something wrong.

Q. This year, Formula 1 rewards the winner at the end more so than the most consistent car, thanks to the new points system. Maybe now it is less important to be on the podium and near the front-runners, something which was one of your strong points when you didn’t have a competitive car. Do you need a Ferrari that wins races to become champion?
A. Yes, with the new points system that rewards whoever wins the races, yes. But it is still important to be consistent and if not, look at Red Bull. They have won several races but they are not running away with the championship because they have also had some retirements. We have to win, yes, but also we have to be consistent, to be on the podium more often than we have been up to this point because so far we have only been there in Barcelona and Bahrain and we know that this is not good enough after seven races.

Q. This new Ferrari, the F10B that will be at the next race in Valencia, will this be good enough?
A. I think we have to take things step by step, the championship is long. In Valencia, there will be a big evolution, a strong hope, but everything won’t finish there. In Silverstone, there will be more new updates and again in Germany – so we will continue to fight up until the last race in Abu Dhabi.

Q. If you could drive a few laps in the Red Bull, do you think you would be able to determine what it is that makes them so superior?
A. We already know.

Q. What is it?
A. They have more grip than the rest. It’s a superior car for now, but there have only been seven races and we want to have the best car soon.

Q. Messi has said that we have not yet seen his five greates matches. Have we seen any of your five best races yet?
A. (He thinks about it) For sure, there will be better ones, but the best five of my carreer…maybe we have seen two or three.

Q. Of all the things that go on during a grand prix weekend in this complex sport, how much do the press and the public get to see? Are we informed of everything that goes on?
A. I don’t think so. What people at home see is very distorted information, a lot of information comes across, many hours of television, many newspapers and radio reports but there comes a lot of information that is usually not very orderly and that does not make a lot of sense, and so people often tend to get quite confused. Although it is also the charm of the sport, the secrecy and keeping things from your rivals that you don’t want them to know or sometimes using the media to send signals to your opponents.

Q. So, we aren’t really told that much then?
A. (laughing) I believe only very little…..very little.

Q. You will be 29 next month and you say that you are now better and more complete than ever, especially after your second stint with Renault - what are you lacking in order to become the perfect driver?
A. Bah, I think always you improve, every year that goes by you are better, better technically because you know better the aspects of the machine or the technological innovations that we have every year and that you discover. Also, changing teams can be a very enriching experience because you get to know new technicians and engineers, like I have this year, with new methods of working that you didn’t know before. All this experience is shared with such intelligent people, because the people that are in Formula 1 making these cars, I believe, are better than average, and this makes you want to be better as well.

Q. Does your perfect rival exist or would you need to take different attributes from several drivers?
A. I have fought against very strong rivals. Each one has their own characteristics and I suppose uniting the good bits of all of them would create an incredible driver and a difficult rival to beat. Thank God, this has not been done.

Q. Would he have the head of Schumacher and the aggressiveness of Hamilton?
A. They all have good things, Lewis and Michael, and Kubica as well, all are very good drivers.

Q. What is the great truth of F1? That you are only as good as your last race, that races there are many but your head, there is only one…
A. (Thinks) Sure, there are many truths but I don’t know which one would remain with me. I think that, like in all sports, the results are what count. You could do a lot of work, your team could be delighted with you, you could be great with the press, great with the public, signing autographs all day long but if you finish 18th, everyone says you’re terrible and they criticize you. And if you are fantastic and you win all the races and all the championships, even though you don’t speak to anyone or greet the public or anything, you are loved. So, the results, like in all sports, are what counts.

Q. Now I know that you never throw in the towel, but did you ever think during the last two years with Renault “Am I going to stay here and never end up at Ferrari”?
A. No, no, I had great hopes of coming here to this team. And if I couldn’t come to Ferrari, I knew that there would be more opportunities and that I could win races again – the world would not have come to an end. I never had the idea that it was Ferrari or nothing.

Q. Is it necessary to hate your rival a little in order to win a head to head?
A. I believe that in those moments of fierce battle against your opponent, what is necessary above all is to stay calm because these are moments with a lot of adrenaline and great tension and rivalry. Your rival is driving as good as you are, he has as much experience as you do and he’s got a good car, so in order to pass or attack you have to be… a bit more ready than him or to be more calm than him, otherwise, it will be difficult.

Q. Does envy exist amongst the great drivers?
A. No, no, at least I have never felt envy towards other drivers. It’s true that between the great drivers, you try to show how strong you are, that nothing upsets you and you take all the strong points that you have and if you are given a good car for this race, you qualify in the front row for all the rest to see, but that is all.

Q. I heard that your thumbs were valued at 10 million euros…are you wary to shake hands with people or to cook in case you cut yourself?
A. No, to me, is nothing, for Santander perhaps, but I have no problems, on the contrary, I look for contact (laughs). No, seriously, nothing, I don’t think of it.

Q. And soon they will be having your head insured?
A. This is worth less though…..

Q. You still do not use Facebook or Twitter or have a fan club in a social network….
A. Nothing, none. I don’t have any interest to do so either, I am very traditional. I have nothing to tell every moment of the day and there are things that I do not want to have to tell. If there is something I want to tell someone, I ring them on the telephone.

Q. Over the years, have you managed to take anything positive from your gigantic fame?
A. Man, there are always positives.

Q. Tell me one.
A. People know you in all places, in all countries. Sometimes when you go to a restaurant where there is no room, they will quickly set a table for you in the corner and also, they will serve you before everyone else. So at these moments, you take advantage of your fame even though later on maybe you have to sign autographs and be in photos but at least you have had dinner!

Q. Switzerland is the best country for doing what?
A. Well, for relaxing, for calm and tranquility, it is spectacular in that sense. There, I wonder and between races, I can really find peace.

Q. Have you become addicted to anything new in these past years?
A. No, nothing different. Not fishing or golf, I am still young.

Q. Can you compare a victory with sex?
A. I would have to think about that and imagine that myself, I don’t know.

Q. As a fan of the series, did you like the final of “Lost”?
A. I have not yet seen it, so do not tell me it.

Q. Will we win the World Cup?
A. That is going to be difficult. I know all of Spain is ecstatic at the thought and have reason to be, the selection is one of the best but winning is a completely different thing. I wish for it with all my heart but I know the difficulties that we are going to have.

Q. And the F1 championship?
A. It will be difficult, this will be a hard-fought championship with two or three teams that are very strong, but what I am sure of is that we will be in the fight until Abu Dhabi and if we arrive there, we will have more options than the rest because the team, like me, have the experience of having won world championships in the past.

If I could give one piece of advice to Fernando it would be to not bother watching the finale of Lost - really it's a pile of shite

[Chrissie]

Ok, I'm going to sound like a bit of a stroppy cow right now, but it took me 5-6 hours yesterday to translate this whole interview and I didn't do it entirely for my own benefit....the least someone could do is say thanks

Maybe next time I just won't bother

[WiTcH]

''Q. I heard that your thumbs were valued at 10 million euros…are you wary to shake hands with people or to cook in case you cut yourself?
A. No, to me, is nothing, for Santander perhaps, but I have no problems, on the contrary, I look for contact (laughs). No, seriously, nothing, I don’t think of it.

Q. And soon they will be having your head insured?
A. This is worth less though…..

Q. You still do not use Facebook or Twitter or have a fan club in a social network….
A. Nothing, none. I don’t have any interest to do so either, I am very traditional. I have nothing to tell every moment of the day and there are things that I do not want to have to tell. If there is something I want to tell someone, I ring them on the telephone.''

He is funny...His head worths less? And I will complain. Why not social network?????? Shame on you Fernando! Fnas want to say a ''hi!''. That's not bad! (well, imagine how many ''hi'' he would get during one day though) I get many comments in yt as well. That's not bad!
And my fanourite with no clear answer though: ''Q. Can you compare a victory with sex?
A. I would have to think about that and imagine that myself, I don’t know.''
Really?? Don't know? I think, as a formula 1 driver obsessed with victories, he would say ''The victory is better.'', but he thought of the moaning back home.
And Chrissie THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORT!! Great job with the translation. And I was typing my answer when you wrote that comment. Sorry for being late. I just saw it!

[Chrissie]

Your welcome witch...I know I sound like a right bitch but it was really hard work and it felt like no-one was appreciating my efforts


Yeah, I think it's a little weird that he's not involved in some form of social network (that said I'm not either ) especially when a lot of the other drivers are...it would be nice for us fans to have some way of conveying our support to him but each to their own I guess....

(06-16-2010 10:16 PM)WiTcH Wrote:  And my fanourite with no clear answer though: ''Q. Can you compare a victory with sex?
A. I would have to think about that and imagine that myself, I don’t know.''
Really?? Don't know? I think, as a formula 1 driver obsessed with victories, he would say ''The victory is better.'', but he thought of the moaning back home.

Maybe he needed a little more time to think about it since it's been a while since won a race....or perhaps it's been a while since he....

[radha]

Thank you for the interview and for translating it...

[Chrissie]

You're welcome radha


God, do I seem like a right moody cow?

[WiTcH]

lol ''Or it's been a while since he... '' Funny... Well, not at all. I would get angry myself, if I saw that no one commented for my effort. And especially the ones in spanish. I don't know spanish, so I can't understand what they are saying. But with your effort I understood it. Look how many interesting things I was loosing with the lack of translation... Thanks one more and if you find another in spanish, don't hesitate if you have time to translate it. I will appreciate it.

[nikoskyt]

[Chrissie]

(06-17-2010 12:44 PM)WiTcH Wrote:  lol ''Or it's been a while since he... '' Funny... Well, not at all. I would get angry myself, if I saw that no one commented for my effort. And especially the ones in spanish. I don't know spanish, so I can't understand what they are saying. But with your effort I understood it. Look how many interesting things I was loosing with the lack of translation... Thanks one more and if you find another in spanish, don't hesitate if you have time to translate it. I will appreciate it.

Thank you for your kind words dear

[WiTcH]

No need to thank me. Just said the truth. Keep on!

[icegirljenni]

(06-16-2010 10:10 PM)Chrissie Wrote:  Ok, I'm going to sound like a bit of a stroppy cow right now, but it took me 5-6 hours yesterday to translate this whole interview and I didn't do it entirely for my own benefit....the least someone could do is say thanks

Maybe next time I just won't bother

Forgive for my lack of respond especially in this thread, as i myself dont really like to read interview , so i didnt reading this content seriously. My bad, you have taking 5/6 hrs to translate the whole thing and yet i didnt read it thats a great effort. and you really need to be given credits. Thank you for the translation Chrissie, i know i might sound like not sincere now but trust me my thank you are coming from the bottom of my heart.

[Chrissie]

That's OK, jenni, I was in a bit of a bad mood that day anyway

[Tension_36th]

Sorry Chrissie I have been busy for the past 1 month, thats why the less visits to this forum, will be more active soon. Thank you for all the hard work, We need your assistance when we cant make it in here to keep things in order.

[icegirljenni]

I do really understand your feeling , just like how i acted in the pics thread session. Though i do regret for ranting But once in while making such ranting is god for health

(06-17-2010 10:47 PM)Tension_36th Wrote:  Sorry Chrissie I have been busy for the past 1 month, thats why the less visits to this forum, will be more active soon. Thank you for all the hard work, We need your assistance when we cant make it in here to keep things in order.

Yes we indeed need her helps. and Chrissie is starting mod around the forum. i love it

[Chrissie]

Ah, guys, don't be saying such nice things, now I feel really bad for going off on one


And, despite what my earlier rantings may suggest, I do enjoy helping out here

[VoRteX]

(06-16-2010 10:10 PM)Chrissie Wrote:  Ok, I'm going to sound like a bit of a stroppy cow right now, but it took me 5-6 hours yesterday to translate this whole interview and I didn't do it entirely for my own benefit....the least someone could do is say thanks

Maybe next time I just won't bother

thanks.