F1 News

Boullier: 'Alonso didn't give his team enough confidence'

7 November 2020 at 10:20
Last update 7 November 2020 at 11:36
  • GPblog.com

Fernando Alonso exchanged Renault for Ferrari in 2010 to fight for his third world title. Although he came close twice, he did not succeed. According to former team boss Eric Boullier, it was because Alonso never really encouraged the team.

Boullier recalls the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2010, where Alonso was unable to pass the Renault of Vitaly Petrov to take a third world title. "I know Fernando quite well and in Abu Dhabi it was our car that kept him from becoming world champion," says Boullier in the Beyond the Grid podcast.

Calm was lacking

"At the time, the team lacked a bit of self-confidence and Fernando could have played a part in that," Boullier continues his story. Alonso ended up four points short of the title in 2010.

"I know that at Ferrari the pressure from the Italians and the Italian media is very high. In some ways, the driver can certainly help to calm things down a bit. He can give more confidence to the team," concludes the Frenchman.