Between the lines

The F1’s official FIA Press Conferences are the traditional home of ‘for sure’, ‘the team’s done an amazing job’ and ‘we’re investigating that’, but what lies behind the platitudes? F1i reckons it has the answer…

Thursday 26 March 2015 – Drivers’ Press Conference Malaysia

Fernando Alonso

The Question: Fernando, if I can start with you. This has been a happy hunting ground throughout your career – you got your first pole here, you won with three different manufacturers – so a good place to come back from what was a difficult episode. What can you tell us about what you’ve been through in the past few weeks?

What Fernando said: 

FA: Happy to be here in another Formula One season. I start one race later than I should be but, yeah, unfortunately I had the accident in Barcelona and following the recommendations by the doctors I missed the first race. But, yeah, happy to be here, as I said. Malaysia has always been a very nice circuit for me in my Formula One career. My first pole position was here in 2003, my first podium and then as you said three wins with three different teams give me the possibility always to enjoy this circuit and I know it’s going to be very tough this year to repeat such a result but, yeah, happy to be back in the cockpit and ready to enjoy the weekend.

What he might have meant:

FA: Happy to be here in another Formula One season – in beautiful 1995. I’m very much looking forward to racing alongside Mika, or is it Mark? It’s nice to see Taki Inoue, Andrea Montermini and the ever popular Mimo Schiattarella here today as well, great racers all with bright futures ahead. Yeah, should be a great season.