Alonso downplays Q1 exit in Sepang

The Ferrari driver was knocked out in Q1 on Saturday after his team decided to wait for the track to dry up before setting a lap time.

The decision proved to be a mistake which cost the Italian team dear, as more rain hit the circuit and neither Alonso not team-mate Felipe Massa could set a time good enough to go into Q2.

Alonso will start the race from 19th, with Massa in 21st.

The Spaniard, however, believes his position is not too significant, as he reckons more rain on Sunday will make the race a lottery.

"We had a forecast of no rain for Q1 so we waited a few minutes to go out, thinking that the track would dry up and then it started to rain more and nobody could improve their times and we were out," he told Spanish television.

"Fortunately the race is tomorrow, not today, and tomorrow a lot of things will happen, so the starting position is just an anecdote."

Alonso admitted he is expecting heavy rain again tomorrow.

"Yeah, and especially here, with this race schedule at the the time when it always rains, tomorrow will be a race with a lot of changes, so all we need to do is give it all and try to recover a lot of positions," he said.

He said, however, that he would prefer a dry race, despite rain likely to boost his chances of recovering to a good position.

"I never want rain because it's not what everybody wants to see. When it rains, weird things happen and the fun turns into a lottery."