Alonso says now it's time to deliver
Fernando Alonso says Ferrari has to be the best team in the remaining part of the season if it is to win this year's championship.
The Italian squad has moved back into contention thanks to a series of strong results in Germany and Hungary, with Alonso now 20 points behind championship leader Mark Webber.
Ferrari is currently in third position in the constructors' standings, 74 points adrift of Red Bull.
Alonso said his team had reasons to be pleased with how the first two thirds of the championship have gone, but he is aware that Ferrari will need to be very strong in the final part to take the titles.
"I think we have to be happy with our championship so far," said Alonso in an interview with Ferrari's website.
"We've had some good races and some disappointing races as well, but overall I think we are in a position now really close to the leader, a very short distance. We are five drivers fighting for the championship so we are there.
"There are seven races to go now, so anything can happen. We all start from zero so we need to be the best in this last part of the championship if we want to win.
"I think we all start from zero. I think no one feels the leader of the championship and no one feels fifth in the championship. We all feel a group and it's time to deliver now."
The Spaniard, who finished second at last Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, insisted the team must remain calm despite Red Bull showing incredible pace during the weekend.
He admitted, however, that the gap to Red Bull in Hungary was disappointing.
"I think at Ferrari we always need to think about the win," he said. "We need to aim for pole positions, for victories every race we go to. But in Hungary obviously this was not possible. We were not as quick as our competitors, as Red Bull. So it was a bit of a disappointment.
"But in the end we know there will be some circuits that will suit our car and we need to take the opportunities as we did in Germany. And there will be some circuits that maybe are not perfect for our characteristics, so we need to make the best of the race as we did in Hungary."
Alonso is confident that the remaining circuits will play to the strengths of his car, conceding the Hungaroring was a perfect track for Red Bull.
"That was a perfect circuit for Red Bull and we knew that and we need to remain calm. The championship is 19 races and the for the overall picture I think Ferrari has a competitive package.
"We are in a position in which we can take the lead of the championship if we win one race, so we have to remain calm."
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85840
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