Alonso Tackles 2011 F1 Season with No Pressure

Despite dominating the action in Valencia on Wednesday, Fernando Alonso stopped short from making bold predictions for the 2011 Formula 1 championship. The 2-time world champion played it safe in front of the media yesterday, insisting that it's too early to judge Ferrari's form and saying that all championship big guns will start the season with high expectations for 2011.

As far as the Spaniard goes however, he seems to tackle the upcoming campaign with no pressure whatsoever, as he reckons the worst thing that could happen is finishing in 5th or 6th place.

“I have nothing to say about it (championship chances),” Alonso told the Spanish media on Wednesday. “Expectations are naturally high but it's the same for all the drivers with the big teams.”

“What gives you some peace of mind is that you know that a bad year at Ferrari or McLaren will have you fifth, while at some other teams you might not be in Q3,” he added, probably thinking of his second stint with Renault a few years back. “So that's not something we have to worry about. I like the car but it's too early to know if it's good enough to win.”

Alonso also downplayed fears regarding to the level of tire wear for the new Pirelli rubber, despite having criticized the new compound a day before.

“It is true that they degrade but it was worse on the first day. We have made some setup changes that have helped us, while others have improved maybe less. The truth is that adapting the car to the tyres is one of the main challenges.”