Fernando Alonso believes he can still win Belgian GP

Fernando Alonso of Spain and Ferrari drives during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Fernando Alonso believes that he can win tomorrow’s Belgian Grand Prix despite starting from ninth on the grid.

“Winning the race. I think we can do it. Anything can happen here. Vettel started 11th last year and finished second. Spa always offers you big possibilities for a comeback, especially in terms of weather unpredictability,” Alonso said. “We have to think positively for the race because in wet or dry conditions the car seems to perform well.”

Ferrari looked strong throughout the weekend and the Spaniard was second fastest this morning in FP3. However, changing weather conditions in qualifying left Alonso languishing in ninth place.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel put a lap time in the dying minutes of Q3 to occupy the front row. The Ferraris and the Lotus, however, did one less lap and starts the race from fourth and fifth row on the grid.

Alonso blamed the fickle weather for his disappointing grid position: “I think it was the conditions that hurt us. In Q1 in wet conditions we were first, in dry conditions in Q2 we were second, so I think the potential of the car was there.

“In the extra lap that some cars did in Q3, they got a little bit lucky with it completely stopping raining, so I think that helped by three or four positions. We were maybe not going to fight for pole, but I think we were in a condition for fourth, fifth or sixth.”