Alonso on Schumacher: "If there's one person I respect, it's Michael"

By Daniel Garcia Marco Feb 28, 2011, 20:39 GMT

Madrid - Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher may have underperformed last year in his return to the tracks, but Fernando Alonso for one does not doubt the German's chances on the 2011 title.

'If there is one person I respect and admire, it is Michael for everything he has done,' Alonso said Monday.

'We have to wait 'til Australia and the first three or four races and see how Mercedes is doing. If Mercedes is fighting for pole position, he will be one of our great rivals.'

Now racing at Ferrari, the legendary Schumacher's former home, Alonso is not sure about his own chances ahead of the Australian Grand Prix on March 27.

'There is no clear reference point for where we stand. Are we happy with the car? Yes. Is it reliable? Yes. Fast? We'll know in Australia,' he told reporters in Madrid.

Without the goatee he sported last season, Alonso looked relaxed as he answered questions and had lunch at the same time.

'We're not anxious, but we would like to know more. We do not need to change the way we work, there is a lot of work to do. Australia is the definitive moment,' he said.

The Spaniard, who won back-to-back world championships in 2005-6, noted that the lack of tests during the season makes the winter 'intense.'

'You have to have done your work well,' he said.

Alonso is not bothered about the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which postponed the start of the season by two weeks.

'I don't think it changes much. Nobody really knows how anyone else is doing. This year there were no leaks in the paddock. Let's see who can draw an advantage from the late start,' he said.

Bahrain should get the race back, once the Gulf country's stability is restored, Alonso argued: 'They deserve to have that show. Let's hope we can go there in total calm.'

Alonso was not bothered about the new Pirelli tyres, which wear out fast as shown by the first tests.

The important thing will be to be careful with them, though three or four pit stops are expected to change tyres, compared to just one last year. That increases uncertainty and risk, and that setting works to the detriment of the best cars, including Ferrari, he said.

'The fewer the unknowns and the variables, the easier it will be for us to be on the podium,' Alonso admitted. 'The greater the risks, the greater the possible damage for us.'

Having one less pit stop may be crucial, but he thinks everyone will suffer the same.

'Everyone wears down (the tyres) in a similar way. It will not be key to the championship,' he said.

As he approaches the last tests, March 8-11 in Barcelona, and the race in Australia, Alonso tries to get a grip on his steering wheel's new functions, including buttons for the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) and for the mobile back flap.

'It will be difficult to stay focused in a race for an hour-and-a- half,' he warned.

Alonso knows that others including his friend Robert Kubica have much more serious problems. The Polish driver suffered a bad accident on February 6 during a rally, which will prevent him from racing during much of this season.

Alonso told reporters that Kubica is bored: 'It's 16 hours (a day) in bed with nothing to do. He is not in very good spirits. He's making calculations so he can return as soon as possible.'

For Alonso, the teams that have made the greatest improvements for this season are precisely Lotus Renault, which replaced Kubica with the German Nick Heidfeld, and Toro Rosso.

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