Fernando Alonso finished on the third step of the podium in the Canadian Grand Prix, the eighth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, which has just ended at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit. The race was full of unexpected incidents and by the end, the Spaniard’s F10 ended up where it had started, finishing behind the winning McLaren duo of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Felipe Massa could do no better than fifteenth, in a race that went wrong right from the start. In the first corner he had a collision with Tonio Liuzzi’s Force India and had to pit for repairs, while six laps from the end, when trying to pass Michael Schumacher in the Mercedes, the Brazilian damaged his front wing and had to pit yet again. The current standings in the Drivers’ Championship see Alonso maintain fourth place on 94 points, while Massa drops to eighth on 67.

The next round of the Formula 1 series takes place over the weekend of 27th June at the Valencia street circuit.

Stefano Domenicali: “This result is very regrettable as it does not match up to the potential we had shown this weekend. Fernando, who drove a great race, could have won, but a few incidents did not work in his favour: these things can happen in racing, but that does not make it any less disappointing. Felipe seems to be particularly unlucky here in Montreal, given that something always happens : it doesn’t happen often that a driver has to change his nose twice because of incidents that were not his fault. A shame, as he too showed the car’s potential. Indeed, that is the most comforting aspect of this weekend in that we are back fighting for the top places. The fact we came here with a car virtually identical to the one we had in Turkey where we were definitely not competitive, is cause for thought: it only takes a few elements – circuit characteristics, tyres – to change the picture. Now we must push as hard as possible on the development of the F10: in Valencia in a fortnight’s time, we will have some significant updates, but then we must continue to improve the car to be in the fight right to the end. The Drivers’ championship is very open and if the Constructors’ one looks a bit trickier, the situation can change really quickly.”

credits: Ferrari