Red Bull’s rivals cannot catch up with the dominant RB6 car simply by copying its technical features, Fernando Alonso insists.
On Monday, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton was quoted as urging his engineers to study the Adrian Newey-penned single seater in a bid to match its runaway pace.
Asked by Germany’s Die Welt for his opinion about the secret to the RB6’s success, Ferrari driver Alonso answered: “It would be nice if we knew that.
“It is incredibly difficult to figure out why the competition is better here and there. And so it is hard to copy them.”
But the Spaniard admitted that emulating the cleverness of rival teams is commonplace in Formula One.
“It means that you have to develop better in your own direction,” said Alonso.
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Ferrari said the Spaniard had signed a three-year contract and that he would partner Brazilian Felipe Massa.
Ferrari have announced that double world champion Fernando Alonso will join them for 2010 from Renault, with Kimi Raikkonen making way.
“Driving a single-seater for the Prancing Horse is everybody’s dream in F1, and now I have the chance to make this dream come true,” said Alonso.
The 28-year-old said the move had been brought forward by a year.
Alonso’s switch to Ferrari had been the worst-kept secret in F1, and the announcement is likely to trigger a string of driver moves.
“I’m very happy and very proud to become a Ferrari driver,” said Alonso.
Organisers of the European Grand Prix are confident Fernando Alonso will be racing in Valencia in a fortnight’s time.
Alonso’s Renault team were handed a one-race suspension following the Hungarian Grand Prix 12 days ago after compromising safety regulations, resulting in the Spaniard losing a tyre off his car. Renault now face an International Court of Appeal hearing at the FIA headquarters in Paris on August 17 as they seek to overturn the ban.
Race promoters in Valencia were outraged at the time as they feared losing a considerable amount of revenue without Alonso on track. However, company operations director Carlos Moreno-Figueroa is convinced the ban will be lifted. “I call on all those who are doubting whether or not to buy a ticket depending on the presence of Alonso to do so,” said Moreno-Figueroa in the Costa Levante News. “We are being told from every side that he will be in Valencia.” Ticket sales, though, have been significantly boosted by Michael Schumacher’s return, with the seven-times World Champion due to deputise for Ferrari in the absence of the injured Felipe Massa. A spokesman for organisers, Valmor Sport, said: “The participation of Schumacher has enabled us to sell 10,000 tickets in just one week.”