Fernando Alonso urges Ferrari to take ‘risks’ with its car design

Fernando Alonso is behind Ferrari's decision to take a more radical and innovative approach with the design of its 2011 car over the coming races. In the build up to the Turkish Grand Prix head designer Nikolas Tomabazis admitted: "We realized that, for various reasons, we were neither reactive nor aggressive enough in the development stages." He added: "Now we are reacting and we want to rediscover the spirit of innovation which maybe we have lost a bit over the past two years."

Alonso, who took the team's first podium of the year with an upgraded car at Istanbul Park last weekend, said he was fully behind taking a gamble to improve the car.

"I think Ferrari has to try to change a little bit the way we work, risking more and being more innovative," he said. "From now on we have to start inventing."

Alonso is already 53 points behind championship leader Sebastian Vettel in the dominant Red Bull RB7, but said he would not throw in the towel. "We will not give up so soon but we are aware of the difficulty of having this championship."

But Ferrari technical director Aldo Costa has warned that it will take time for the F150 Italia to become a race winner.

"Probably in Barcelona we will take another step forward," he told Diario Sport. "But we will have to wait for some more races to fight for victory."

Meanwhile, Red Bull's lead F1 designer Adrian Newey has been asked for his thoughts on his competitors by Spain's El Pais newspaper

"The Renault has impressed me the most," he revealed. "It's exhaust system is completely different to the others. I haven't analyzed it deeply but the path they have taken is completely unique and very brave, and that's always good."

As for the 2011 Ferrari, Newey said it is "a conventional car". And McLaren "have worked hard on the sidepods, which are different, but I think the change is more visual than anything else. I think the vast majority of teams chose to evolve their previous cars."

For that reason, Newey said rival teams subsequently copying the dominant RB7's exhaust layout is simultaneously "flattering" but also "irritating. ESPN F1