Singapore GP: Team Review - Ferrari

Second placed Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari looks on from the podium during the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 22, 2013 in Singapore, Singapore. (Getty Images)

Fernando Alonso wasn’t in the fastest car but yet again managed to carve his way past traffic for his third consecutive second place (after Spa and Monza) – and fifth overall – of the season.

The free practice sessions were disappointing and the Ferrari never really looked to trouble the Red Bulls. The fact they never really got close to the Red Bulls even in the qualifying gives Ferrari some fodder to think, as to what it would take to get to the front row for the race.

But despite their qualifying woes, Ferrari took the risk during the race and that paid rich dividends.

A change in the pit-stop strategy under the safety car for Alonso paid off to give him a hard-fought podium finish.

Felipe Massa stuck to his three-stop strategy to finish sixth and get home a double finish with much needed points to take a seven-point lead from Mercedes in the constructors table.

Fernando Alonso

The two-time world champion is a veteran at finding his way to the podium. The crafty Spaniard found his way to third at the second corner after taking a clean line on the outside into turn one; that move helped him leapfrog four drivers.

Alonso stayed put and drove a few hard laps in the Ferrari, playing catch up to Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg, before the safety car intervention prompted for a quick pit-stop to get the mediums compound tyres.

The strategy came off as he was able to pass Rosberg after a slightly longer pit-stop for Mercedes delayed the German. However, there were still doubts if Alonso would be able to survive the race distance (more than 30 laps after the second stop) owing to tyre degradation on a warm and bumpy circuit.

Alonso survived by managing to put in decent laps and pulled away from a bunch of drivers behind him. Had he been among the bunch, he probably wouldn’t have lasted the distance. Yet the Spaniard was no match for Vettel in the Red Bull, who by the end of it had a comfortable 32 second cushion.

Alonso later admitted that it was like a victory for him and his team given the situation and that the aggression had paid dividends. He was candid and realistic to admit that he would need luck to help him win the Championship as there was a big gap in the points table – and performance – that would make it difficult to catch Vettel and Red Bull.

Felipe Massa

The Brazilian, with his resolve to fight his own battle after getting a pink slip from Ferrari for the next season, had a decent outing. He managed to stay ahead of his teammate in qualifying but wasn’t able to match the Spaniard’s heroics at the start.

Massa had to perform well to showcase himself as competitive driver given that he has had no confirmations of a seat for the 2014 season. Ferrari used a three-stop strategy for him and that helped him stay with the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Rosberg.

Massa’s fortunes helped him as Mclaren-Mercedes of Jenson Button and Sergio Perez suffered tyre issues and it helped him overtake them in the final laps of the race. Massa would hope that his performance would keep a couple of teams in the paddock interested with an offer for next year.