Familiar ground for Alonso

Fernando Alonso is not too concerned about starting from the back row for today's Austrian Grand Prix, as he's familiar with the view from there. The Spaniard spent his F1 apprenticeship with Minardi in 2001 and the little Italian squad is no stranger to the wrong end of the grid. Alonso took a trip into the gravel in qualifying yesterday which put his Renault a lowly nineteenth at the end of the session.

"I started from the back for the whole season at Minardi so I am used to it and I know the way," he said, according to AFP. "Of course, it was not fantastic for me, because I wanted to do a good timed lap and I was taking a risk but that corner was probably a bit too much."

"But the car was very good and we are more competitive than we expected in the beginning. Obviously it will be more difficult to start Sunday but with this circuit, 71 laps, we don't know the weather, so why not score some points."

It was a surprise error for Alonso, who has barely put a foot wrong so far this season, and cost him what probably would have been a top six position. However, he's not going to be overly cautious for the race and thinks he can gain advantage at the start.

"I normally take the risk," he said. "Sometimes everything goes well and I do the pole and everyone is happy. Sometimes you have a mistake and everyone is not happy. It is my way to drive and tomorrow we will have very good launch control so I think we can gain four or five positions at the start."

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