Alonso must chase down Vettel in 2013 - press

The Italian press hailed Sebastian Vettel’s return to top form in Bahrain, whilst lamenting the bad luck that prevented Fernando Alonso from challenging.

"Although his car broke, he miraculously captured eighth place," Tuttosport, referring to Spaniard Alonso’s mere points haul after a recurring DRS rear flap failure, wrote.

"But Vettel is on the run," added the Italian daily.

"He built his success on his ability to stand alone at the front, without having to compete with his opponents.

"If he can run away like a hare, he is matchless, and this time Alonso was out of action and Lotus too far away."

Corriere dello Sport lamented Ferrari’s bad luck, including the twice-failing DRS on Alonso’s red car, and two separate tyre problems for Felipe Massa.

"Rarely has a team been the victim of such bad luck as Ferrari in Bahrain," wrote the national sports newspaper.

La Repubblica, Italy’s largest-circulation general interest newspaper, hailed Vettel’s command from the front, mere weeks after the damaging ’Multi-21’ affair.

"The more his rivals berate him, trying to destroy him psychologically, the harder he strikes back," read the editorial.

"He wins with an incredible ease."

But the Milan daily Corriere della Sera concluded: "Alonso’s eighth place amid adversity, although disappointing, testifies that Ferrari has huge potential."

According to Germany’s Die Welt, Alonso agreed: "Without these problems I would have finished first or second, because the car is the best I’ve had in the last four years."