2012 became a very unique season and the word that describes the first third of the season would well be “an identical level of performance”. The first seven races saw seven different winners. Alonso was the first to achieve a second win that season by winning the 8th race, the European GP in Valencia.
The first race “Down Under” seemed to fulfil all negative pre-season expectation. Both cars did not make it to Q3. The race was influenced by a SC-phase. Alonso had already made it to p4 but was not able to regain the speed of the period before the safety car and dropped back to 5th position. Massa, who was said to drive the set-up of last year’s car!, collided with Bruno Senna and did not finish.
295 F2012
16.-18.3.12 – GP of Australia, Albert Park, Melbourne F. Alonso #5 First session 4th 1.28.360 +0:00.800 21 Laps 20/22 °C, track 21/23 °C. Variable conditions, damp track at the beginning then dry. Second session 4th 1.30.341 +0:01.158 13 Laps 21/19 °C, track 24/21 °C. Variable conditions, wet track at the beginning then dry 3rd Session 16 th 1:27.323 +0:01.642 19 Laps Clear 19°C track 29-35°C Q1 6th 1:26.688 +0:00.506 9 Laps Q2 12th 1:26.494 +0:00.065 3 Laps, spun off,Q3 dnq Clear 19°C track 25-28°C
18.3.12 – GP of Australia, Albert Park, Melbourne F. Alonso #5, 5th 58 laps +0:21.565 195,246 km/h Sunny, 22°C, track 23-29°C
293 F2012
16.-18.3.12 – GP of Australia, Albert Park, Melbourne F. Massa #6 First session 18th 1.30.743 +0:03.183 11 Laps, spun off, 20/22 °C, track 21/23 °C. Variable conditions, damp track at the beginning then dry. Second session 7th 1.31.305 +0:02.322 14 Laps 21/19 °C, track 24/21 °C. Variable conditions, wet track at the beginning then dry 3rd Session 18th 1:28.023 +0:02.342 19 Laps Clear 19°C track 29-35°C Q1 17th 1:27.633 +0:01.451 8 Laps Q2 16th 1:27.497 +0:01.068 8 Laps Q3 dnq Clear 19°C track 25-28°C
18.3.12 – GP of Australia, Albert Park, Melbourne F. Massa #6 dnf, collision with Senna. Sunny, 22°C, track 23-29°C
The expectations for the Malaysian GP where low, missing speed, a hard to handle car made it hard to think about fast success. The practise sessions were not too encouraging. Massa again failed Q3 and Alonso only came in on p9 on the grid. If nothing else helps, you always can rely on the weather god… After the sky opened and the race was interrupted in the 7th lap for more than an hour. After a start behind the safety car Alonso found himself leading the field after everybody else pitted to change tyres. Alonso was lucky and experienced enough to keep #295 on the track and he was able to keep newcomer Sergio Perez behind to achieve the first victory for the Scuderia in the 2012-season. Massa still felt uncomfortable with the F2012 and came in on a disappointing p15.
295 F2012
23. – 25.3.12 - Malaysian GP, Sepang, F. Alonso #5, free practise First session 15th 1.39.980 +0:01.959 23 Laps 31/33 °C, track 34/38 °C sunny. Second session 6th 1.38.891 +0:00.719 27 Laps 36/34 °C, track 41/44 °C sunny. Third session 13th 1:38.246 +0:01.369 17 Laps 27-29°C track 30-38°C overcast Q1 11th 1:38.151 +0:00.979 7 Laps Q2 8th 1:37.379 +0:00.664 6 Laps Q3 9th 1:37.566 +0:01.347 1 Lap 31-32°C track 41-46°C, overcast
25.3.12 - Malaysian GP, Sepang, F. Alonso #5, 1st 56 Laps 2:44:51.812 112,969 km/h, cloudy then heavy rain, drying later, 26°C track 24-28°C
294 F2012
23. – 25.3.12 - Malaysian GP, Sepang, F. Massa #6 free practise First session 13th 1.39.896 +0:01.875 16 Laps 31/33 °C, track 34/38 °C sunny. Second session 16th 1.40.271 +0:02.099 28 Laps 36/34 °C, track 41/44 °C sunny. Third session 18th 1:39.209 +0:02.332 16 Laps 27-29°C track 30-38°C overcast Q1 15th 1:38.381 +0:01.209 9 Laps Q2 12th 1:37.731 +0:01.016 6 Laps Q3 dnq 31-32°C track 41-46°C, overcast
25.3.12 - Malaysian GP, Sepang, F. Massa #6, 15th 56 Laps +1:37.319, cloudy then heavy rain, drying later, 26°C track 24-28°C
Shanghai was a kind of reset to normal. Another dnq for Q3 for Massa and Alonso found himself again on well known p9 on the grid. The F2012 suffered from a bad balance and Alonso was able to defend his 9th position in the race. Massa lost a position compared to the qualifying and came in on 13th position.
295 F2012
13. – 15.4.12 - GP of China, Shanghai F. Alonso #5 free practise First session 11th 1.40.056 +0:02.950 14 Laps 14/15 °C, track 15 °C. Covered skies, rain at times. Second session 10th 1.37.316 +0:01.343 32 Laps 15 °C, track 16 °C. Covered skies. Third session 15th 1:37.465 +0:01.525 12 Laps 20°C track 22-25°C, cloudy. Q1 2nd 1:36.292 +0:00.094 8 Laps Q2 10th 1:35.982 +0:00.282 6 Laps Q3 9th 1:36.622 +0:01.501 3 Laps 20-21°C track 23-25°C overcast.
15.4.12 - GP of China, Shanghai F. Alonso #5 9th 56 Laps +0:37.256 188,565 km/h, 22°C track 23-24°C, cloudy.
294 F2012
13. – 15.4.12 - GP of China, Shanghai F. Massa #6 free practise First session 12th 1.40.153 +0:03.047 14 Laps 14/15 °C, track 15 °C. Covered skies, rain at times. Second session 17th 1.38.293 +0:02.320 31 Laps 15 °C, track 16 °C. Covered skies. Third session 18th 1:37.831 +0:01.891 14 Laps 20°C track 22-25°C, cloudy. Q1 5th 1:36.556 +0:00.358 8 Laps Q2 12th 1:36.255 +0:00.555 6 Laps Q3 dnq 20-21°C track 23-25°C overcast.
15.4.12 - GP of China, Shanghai F. Massa #6 13th 56 Laps +0:42.779 188,386 km/h, 22°C track 23-24°C, cloudy.