Alonso today:
"We are the third or fourth fastest team. It's what we've been in the last four years and I managed to fight for the drivers' world championship and we put Ferrari in second position in last year's championship,"
http://uk.eurosport....503865--f1.html
I don't agree with the statement Ferrari has been the third or fourth fastest car over the past four years. I think they were top 2 in 2010 and also in 2012 (Hamilton is certainly not going to agree that he was in the top two team last year). So I find this statement from Alonso to be off. Ferrari is certainly up there along with other teams not named Red Bull this year as well, so they are not clear third or fourth best this year. They arguably had the best car for the first third of the season. So, overall Ferrari has not been third or fourth over the past four years. I would say top 2 over the past four years.
Even in today's qualy, I am not sure what he has done special. Okay, they are third or fourth best today. Drivers from all three teams are lining up before him (except Raikkonen who made mistake in Q3). So he is in the right position today. I have no idea what he is talking about and I don't know what Ferrari would make of such statements..
You are making the mistake of judging the cars performance levels just by looking at the results, which is very flawed and often misleading and involves zero analysis. If you actually analysed the seasons, and the actual performance level of the cars you would see that Alonso is 100% correct. In 2010 Ferrari were about equal with Mclaren. 2011, 3rd, 2012, 4th, and 2013, 4th again. Their results have been far better than the cars have actually been which is the point Alonso is making. If you don't believe it just look at the lap times instead of the final finishing places.