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F1 Singapore GP: Alonso: I was dreaming of the podium…

Fernando Alonso has joked he allowed himself to imagine himself on the Singapore Grand Prix podium after a strong opening lap but nonetheless says his eventual seventh place finish was 'maximum' he could achieve.

The Spaniard got away well from ninth on the grid, capitalising on other slow getaways to brake late into turn one and ascend to fifth position, a spot he would hold for the entire first stint.

However, though he would have the measure of McLaren's general mid-field rivals, he would eventually cede two positions to the charging Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull's Max Verstappen as they recovered ground.

Leaving him seventh at the finish line, though Alonso says it is shame an eventful race didn't unfold around his strong start, he was otherwise happy to take the best result away possible in the circumstances despite McLaren not being the 'fourth quickest team'.

"I think 7th was the maximum... best of the rest after the Ferraris, Red Bulls and Mercedes. We were not the fourth quickest team here so to make the seventh place is thanks to the strategy and the guys today, so I am happy.

"The start was very good, P5 from the first corner. At one point I dreamed of the podium because on lap one being P5 in Singapore you think things will happen in front of you. But nothing happened today and they arrived very quickly behind, Vettel and Verstappen, so best of the rest, seventh was the maximum."

A third seventh place finish in five races, Alonso climbs to 11th in the overall standings, just five points shy of Felipe Massa in tenth overall.

Zdroj: crash.net