Alonso: I’m as strong as ever

Fernando Alonso feels he is currently driving as well as he ever has and insists he would have no problem with Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari…

Fernando Alonso reveals he feels he is currently driving as well as he ever has and insists he would have no problem with Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari.

Currently sitting in fourth spot in the race for the World title, Alonso is sandwiched between the two McLaren drivers, Hamitlon and Jenson Button, 89 points adrift of title leader Sebastian Vettel.

While Ferrari strung together a handful of strong showings in the four races leading up to the summer break, the team are still paying the price for a poor start to the year.

Considering all factors, Alonso rates the team’s performance thus far as a seven out of ten, adding that he personally feels on top of his game at present.

“A 9 or a 10 can go to those who lead the Championship, but this has not been such a bad a season for us so far,” the Spaniard told Ferrari’s official website.

“Sure, the beginning was very difficult: we had hoped for a better start but we did not manage it.

“In China we went through what was possibly the worst point, because not only were we not fighting for the win with McLaren and Red Bull, but we were also behind Mercedes and maybe Renault, who had already scored two podium finishes.

“However, after that, we reacted well. We still lack a little something in all areas, including from the drivers, to be at the level of the best. However, I feel much more part of the team than I did a year ago. In terms of driving, I don’t think I’ve ever been this strong.”

Of late both Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have been linked with possible moves to the Scuderia and Alonso admits he’s not surprised that the duo may want to race for the Italian outfit at some stage.

“It seems a normal thing to say: all drivers want to race for Ferrari. Some might say it openly, others deny it even if they are thinking it,” he explained.

“For my part, it makes me feel even more privileged, because I am at Ferrari now and I will be for many years to come, at least to the end of 2016. I am very happy to have Felipe as a team-mate and we work very well together.”

While Alonso and Hamilton endured an unhappy tenure as team-mates at McLaren in 2007, Alonso insists he would have no problem with teaming up with the Briton at Ferrari, hinting that McLaren were responsible for the troubles between the two.

“If the day arrives when someone else was to come here, that would not be a problem for me, even if it was Hamilton,” he said.