MAY 14, 2015

Ferrari exit unavoidable for Alonso

Luca di Montezemolo has backed away from his earlier criticism of Ferrari.

Luca di Montezemolo has backed away from his earlier criticism of Ferrari.

The former Ferrari president's claim that the Maranello team was "lucky" in 2015 had triggered renewed suggestions he is simply bitter about his ousting.

"I'm tired of all this," he was quoted by Ansa news agency on Wednesday. "All I say now is 'Forza Ferrari!'"

Montezemolo's comments come amid an increasing feeling that Fernando Alonso made a big mistake by leaving the resurgent Ferrari for struggling McLaren-Honda.

Emilio de Villota, a former Spanish driver, admitted it is "a little frustrating for the Spanish fans" to see Alonso's current plight.

"People say he would have been better to stay at Ferrari," he told El Confidencial, "but that would not have been the solution, as we see that (Sebastian) Vettel is still third.

"What Fernando did was an unavoidable risk," added de Villota.

Indeed, having utterly dominated in Spain, Nico Rosberg is now confident Mercedes can maintain its advantage over Ferrari at the next race, in Monaco.

"The last sector in Barcelona is very similar to Monaco's tight corners," he is quoted by AS newspaper, "and our car was very good there so I'm optimistic."

Rosberg has won in the Principality for the past two years.

(GMM)