Alonso: Ferrari just too quick today

McLaren driver Alonso had to settle for second place after the Finn moved into the lead during the second round of pitstops at Silverstone.

Alonso's team took a gamble with his strategy, changing it during the race, fuelling his car for a shorter time in order to emerge ahead of Raikkonen and teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Although the Spaniard led after the first pitstop, he then could do nothing to stop the faster Raikkonen.

"We changed the strategy thinking we should be able to maintain the lead in the second stop so we short-fuelled for the first pitstop and we got ahead of Kimi for the second stint," explained Alonso.

"But I was not able to open up a gap that was big enough, so I think it was the right thing to do.

"You never know what is going to happen, but there was some traffic, especially when I began my third stint. Those six laps I was not able to do a normal pace so I think the Ferrari was a little bit too quick today and in the end the result will not change too much. Second place was the maximum."

Alonso, who closed the gap to teammate Hamilton by just two points, said he was not surprised to see Ferrari being so strong this weekend.

"We would like to know that. I don't know," added Alonso of why Ferrari were quicker. "We lack two or three tenths a lap in same conditions and with same fuel loads and all weekend it has been like that, so no surprises Ferrari are a little bit too quick.

"Maybe to win the race my only chance was to start from pole and open a gap but that was not the case."