Stefano Domenicali: Alonso and Massa not a dream team

Fernando Alonso & Felipe Massa

While praising Felipe Massa’s recent return to form, Stefano Domenicali insists Ferrari’s driver pairing is deliberately not a dream team.

At the Italian team’s annual media event at the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort on Wednesday, boss Domenicali was asked yet again about rumours Ferrari might pluck Sebastian Vettel from Red Bull to join Fernando Alonso.

“A dream team is fantastic if it is correctly managed, but at the moment we are not looking at that, because we want to ensure the team is as well balanced as possible,” he said.

“You have to be very careful, not just in formula one, but in sport in general, because sometimes putting together all the number ones can lead to more negatives than positives.”

That might be interpreted as a slight against Massa, but it is true the Brazilian has not always been in top form since his recovery from a 2009 head injury, and the arrival at Ferrari of Spaniard Alonso.

“I think the toughest part of Felipe’s career is now behind him,” said Domenicali.

“Personally, there was a lot of pressure on me regarding possible changes, but in the interests of the team, I preferred to wait and today, I’m convinced that keeping Felipe in the Ferrari family was the right decision.”

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