Jul.8 (GMM) As he races away with the 2012 championship at the wheel of a still-inferior car, Fernando Alonso is being hailed almost universally within the F1 paddock.

The season began disastrously for Ferrari with the ailing F2012, but as the technical boffins set to work on its weaknesses, the Spaniard at the wheel was always flawlessly consistent.

Totally outclassed in Australia, he still finished fifth, he is the only driver to have won more than one grand prix so far, and Alonso has never been outside of the points at the chequer.

The result is a 20-point lead as the mid-season point nears, and on Sunday he will start a race from pole position for the first time in two years.

"Alonso does more things right than any other driver in the field," former Williams co-owner Patrick Head, on a rare visit to the paddock on Saturday, told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

The praise is just as shining from another enemy team -- Mercedes.

"He is simply one of the all-time greats," Ross Brawn said at Silverstone.

"He wins races he shouldn't win, races that he's got no right to win. And that's the mark of a great driver," the Mercedes team boss told the Guardian.

"He's not had a great car this year but he's on top of the championship. He has managed to get there because of what he is, the driver he is."

The praise doesn't stop there. Even Red Bull's Christian Horner had to admit that - despite Sebastian Vettel's utter dominance in Valencia two weeks ago - the Spaniard is the "obvious" threat.

It's a similar tune even among Alonso's on-track rivals.

Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen said: "Whatever the track, whatever the conditions, there is always one common denominator -- Fernando is always near the front."

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version

F1 News  F1 Schedule  F1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  F1 Tickets  Live F1 Coverage

Full Version: Formula 1 News  Formula 1 Schedule  Formula 1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  Live F1 Coverage  10 'n' Pole  F1 Regulations  The Forums  Motorsport Shop  F1 Merchandise  F1 Tickets  F1 Diecast  F1 Videos  F1 Games