Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
http://www.sportal.com.au/motorsport.asp?i=news&id=89315
Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso has denied he made critical remarks towards his Renault team after last week's Chinese Grand Prix.
Alonso and team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella completed the front row at the Shanghai circuit, allowing the Spaniard to build an 18-second lead.
But his closest rival in the championship, Michael Schumacher, fought back to take the win and put them level on points with three races remaining.
As the teams prepare for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso admitted he was surprised Fisichella had allowed Schumacher to fight back, but denied chastising his team.
"It is not a problem at all with anybody," Alonso told the official F1 website.
"What I felt (in China) was that maybe I had a problem with the car, which was a specific problem for nine or 10 laps, and I felt alone, for sure."
"I was first and my team-mate was second, but then they (Fisichella and Schumacher) caught up with me and then they were gone. They came to me, they overtook me, and they were gone. After I recovered the pace, they were too far ahead."
"For sure, it is like you are in the Tour de France, in the mountains, and you have a puncture, and your team and your rival go uphill and don't stop. That was a little bit difficult to understand."
Alonso, however, did suggest that Renault was more interested in the constructors' championship than the drivers'.
"All the team and all the people are really focused for the championship," he insisted. "The atmosphere in the team is super. Every single person in the team is just focused on the championship. But for sure for the team the constructors' title is more important the drivers'."
Meanwhile Honda test driver Anthony Davidson has made light work of the wet conditions to post the fastest time in opening practice.
The big names all stayed away from the first session, allowing the test drivers some time to shine, and none looked better than Davidson, clocking one minute 45.349 seconds.
Leading times after the opening practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix
1 Anthony Davidson Honda 1:45.349
2 Neel Jani STR-Cosworth 1:46.138
3 Sebastian Vettel Sauber-BMW 1:46.585
4 Michael Ammermuller RBR-Ferrari 1:47.162
5 Adrian Sutil MF1-Toyota 1:47.773
6 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth 1:47.814
7 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota 1:47.838
8 Franck Montagny Super Aguri-Honda 1:47.918
9 Alexander Wurz Williams-Cosworth 1:47.919
10 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:48.042
11 Sakon Yamamoto Super Aguri-Honda 1:50.479
Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso has denied he made critical remarks towards his Renault team after last week's Chinese Grand Prix.
Alonso and team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella completed the front row at the Shanghai circuit, allowing the Spaniard to build an 18-second lead.
But his closest rival in the championship, Michael Schumacher, fought back to take the win and put them level on points with three races remaining.
As the teams prepare for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso admitted he was surprised Fisichella had allowed Schumacher to fight back, but denied chastising his team.
"It is not a problem at all with anybody," Alonso told the official F1 website.
"What I felt (in China) was that maybe I had a problem with the car, which was a specific problem for nine or 10 laps, and I felt alone, for sure."
"I was first and my team-mate was second, but then they (Fisichella and Schumacher) caught up with me and then they were gone. They came to me, they overtook me, and they were gone. After I recovered the pace, they were too far ahead."
"For sure, it is like you are in the Tour de France, in the mountains, and you have a puncture, and your team and your rival go uphill and don't stop. That was a little bit difficult to understand."
Alonso, however, did suggest that Renault was more interested in the constructors' championship than the drivers'.
"All the team and all the people are really focused for the championship," he insisted. "The atmosphere in the team is super. Every single person in the team is just focused on the championship. But for sure for the team the constructors' title is more important the drivers'."
Meanwhile Honda test driver Anthony Davidson has made light work of the wet conditions to post the fastest time in opening practice.
The big names all stayed away from the first session, allowing the test drivers some time to shine, and none looked better than Davidson, clocking one minute 45.349 seconds.
Leading times after the opening practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix
1 Anthony Davidson Honda 1:45.349
2 Neel Jani STR-Cosworth 1:46.138
3 Sebastian Vettel Sauber-BMW 1:46.585
4 Michael Ammermuller RBR-Ferrari 1:47.162
5 Adrian Sutil MF1-Toyota 1:47.773
6 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth 1:47.814
7 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota 1:47.838
8 Franck Montagny Super Aguri-Honda 1:47.918
9 Alexander Wurz Williams-Cosworth 1:47.919
10 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:48.042
11 Sakon Yamamoto Super Aguri-Honda 1:50.479