F1: Alonso says Ferrari swansong was "emotional"

Related Stories

Fernando Alonso described his final Formula 1 race for Ferrari as "emotional" after ending his five years with the Scuderia with a ninth-place finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Spaniard was unable to help the team leapfrog Williams for third in the F1 constructors' championship and also dropped behind Sebastian Vettel to sixth in the drivers' standings, his worst result since joining Ferrari for the 2010 season.

Alonso said the emotional significance of the race took its toll before it even started.

"It was emotional," he said. "The worst moment was on the grid when I jumped in the car, we fired up the engine, and the mechanics stayed there with the blankets for the last minute, with 20 seconds to go.

"I saw the faces of the guys with the two front tires and they were looking at me with eyes shining, and it was tough. It was tough to put it in first gear and start the formation lap.

"I will miss the team, I will miss the guys. But when you join a new project it's because you think it is better."

RAIKKONEN: DIFFICULT RACE NO SURPRISE

Alonso's teammate Kimi Raikkonen said he was not surprised that Ferrari struggled for pace in the season finale.

The Finn outqualified Alonso for only the third time this season but was passed by him early on in the race and only inherited 10th when Nico Rosberg suffered mechanical problems and slumped to 14th in the late stages. The 2007 world champion, whose 12th place in the drivers' standings is the worst result of his F1 career, said the race went more or less how the team had expected.

"I didn't have the speed, the car was behaving not badly but just lacking all round lap time," Raikkonen explained. "We got done in a straight line a few times and weren't really able to attack so were falling backwards a bit.

"We expected it to be a difficult race and that's what it turned out to be."