Fernando Alonso has car to match his talents this year

Winner Fernando Alonso’s Chinese takeaway was a tasty treat for the many millions of fans worldwide who hunger for Ferrari success.

But the deeper message from Shanghai last week was that the Prancing Horse outfit, victors at a comparative trot, could gallop away with Formula One’s coveted crown and carry the Spaniard to a third world title.

The clear evidence of that distinct possibility showed itself in the way Alonso twice so comfortably overtook wonderboy Sebastian Vettel’s previously all-conquering Red Bull.

And the sunken heads-down reaction of the strategic hierarchy trackside on the pit wall was evidence enough of their concerns that this time around they could be facing a tough fight against the revitalised Ferrari and the supreme Alonso.

Last season, when Alonso missed out by just three points in the final analysis, it was the Ferrari number one’s absolute brilliance and fierce determination that more than compensated for the car’s deficiencies at every grand prix.

Not so this time around. The car, he claims, is on a different planet from last season’s struggler.

The message from the Ferrari vantage point as Alonso stamped his authority on the China show with a series of fastest laps without a challenger in sight was the warning: “Don’t push.”

“I’m not,” was the cool answer, with the 32-year-old steering towards his 31st career win ahead of two other ex-champions, Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus and Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.

As Bahrain looms this weekend, I can guarantee the 2012 winner, Vettel, will surely be on the look-out for Alonso, seven places behind the German in Skhir last year, and quite rightly and wisely so. Their positions could well swap in Sunday’s showdown.

The Ferrari effort to restore their prestige and provide a truly great driver with a car to match his ability has been unstinting in a winter of hard labour at their Maranello headquarters near Milan.

President Luca di Montezemolo says: “Everybody at the factory has been putting in a tremendous effort and, the way the car is looking and performing, it has all been worthwhile. But we are not stopping there. We won’t sit on our laurels. We can get even better.”

On the basis of the promises from Montezemolo, Alonso, recognising the grand prix legends are intent on giving him a championship-winning car, was happy to sign a deal, worth around £60m (Dh336 million), which will keep him at Ferrari for the countdown to his race career.

He told me: “Where else would I want to be? The team is great and every bit as supportive as I could want. I would love to pay them back for all their hard work with both the championships... the drivers’ and the constructors’.”

Who would argue he cannot do it? Not me. And, so too I guess, Vettel realises he will have his work cut out every time they clash on track in what is threatening to be a thriller of a campaign.

— Ted Macauley is a motorsport expert based in London.