“All the simulations and predictions said we would never finish on the podium,
so it was much better than expected,” the Spaniard said. “And Jenson was out
of the race and so were the two Red Bulls, so it was the perfect Sunday.”
Alonso added that Red
Bull’s Sebastian
Vettel had deserved his drive-through penalty for forcing him onto
the grass at Curva Grande.
“I lost 10 laps behind him so I lost whatever seconds at that moment after the
incident, and also the laps behind him,” he said. “For sure the car is
damaged because I was jumping in the gravel at 330km/h.”
Vettel and Alonso had a similar incident in last year’s race, but on that
occasion it was the Ferrari defending and no penalty was issued.
“Last year was not a penalty and this year is a penalty,” Alonso said.
“That is the big difference for the people that understand this.”
Meanwhile, Sauber’s Sergio Perez, who drove an extraordinary race to finish
second having started 12th on the grid, passing both Ferraris on the way,
said it was unlikely to increase his chances of being offered a seat at
Maranello.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I am not sure at all. I am fighting for my team and
I will always fight for the team I am in, I will always give my maximum.”