![\"Luca-di-Montezemolo-3\"](\"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/gallery\/f1-2013-rif-images\/f1-2013-persons\/Luca-di-Montezemolo-3.jpg\")
While the Italian team is struggling to hold third position in the constructors’ championship, and Felipe Massa is just eighth in the drivers’ standings, Alonso last weekend sealed the runner-up spot behind Sebastian Vettel.<\/p>\nLuca di Montezemolo has given Fernando Alonso “eight out of ten” for the Spaniard’s 2013 season.<\/p>\n
While the Italian team is struggling to hold third position in the constructors’ championship, and Felipe Massa is just eighth in the drivers’ standings, Alonso last weekend sealed the runner-up spot behind Sebastian Vettel.<\/p>\n
The Spaniard said this week: “I am proud, because we clearly do not have the second fastest car.\u00a0 So finishing second is a great reward for me.”<\/p>\n
However, Alonso has had a somewhat fraught relationship with Ferrari this year, amid critical comments and rumours he toyed with moves to Red Bull and McLaren.<\/p>\n
Asked to rank Alonso’s season, president Montezemolo told CNN: “A good eight out of ten.<\/p>\n
“I think he’s really a very, very good driver,” he added.<\/p>\n
Montezemolo insisted he is not making excuses, but he said Ferrari “paid a big price” for Pirelli’s mid-season tyre specification switch.<\/p>\n
He is also happy F1’s rules are changing radically for 2014.<\/p>\n
“I am very happy to change rules, because I don’t like formulas where aerodynamics makes 90 per cent of the performance,” said di Montezemolo.<\/p>\n
Probably giving Alonso a higher ranking than 8 is Ferrari’s team principal Stefano Domenicali, who said the Maranello team “owes him a lot”.<\/p>\n
“And next year, we must do all we can to provide him and Kimi with what they need to win.”<\/p>\n
But Alonso has admitted he is worried even the radical new rules next year, which many believe will be a clean slate for the pecking order, will not stop Red Bull’s dominance.<\/p>\n
“Red Bull has a one second (per lap) advantage,” he is quoted by the BBC, “so they can put whatever exhaust blowing or engine in their car and they are still on pole.”<\/p>\n
Di Montezemolo had to “tweak” Alonso’s ear earlier this year amid a spate of critical remarks, but Domenicali said he can understand the frustration.<\/p>\n
“His frustration is our frustration,” he said.<\/p>\n
“If you are not able to give a good car or a fast enough car to a driver who is always fighting like hell, it is very important that we focus on how we develop the car in the future,” the Italian added.<\/p>\n
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