Even better than I expected - Alonso

The Spanish driver of the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team scored eight points today in the Malaysian Grand Prix, in spite of a poor starting slot on the grid. Alonso had a very agressive start and passed 4 drivers to take the third place. Alonso was able to finish second after team mate Giancarlo Fisichella after an amazing race.

Interview with Fernando Alonso

Fernando, how was the race for you?
"Pretty good. My only chance was to make up a lot of positions in the first corner, and I took some big risks on the first lap. That paid off and I was running third straight away. After that , we fine-tuned our strategy so we could get past Button and finish second."

Mark Webber was very close to you early on. Were you worried?
"Not really. He was quick but we knew he was lighter than me. If he had tried to pass, I wouldn’t have blocked him because I had too much to lose. Plus, our strategy meant we would have got back ahead later."

Looking back at the race, do you think you could have done any better?
"No. Today was about damage limitation, and it is a better result than I expected. I have scored 18 points in two races, which is a fantastic start to the season. Without the problem yesterday in qualifying, I could have fought for pole and had a very different race. I am aiming to win in Melbourne to have the best possible ending to the flyaway races. The car was perfect in these first two races, and I think we will be very quick everywhere. I can’t wait for the next races!"