Fernando Alonso has insisted that Ferrari did not get their race strategy wrong at the German Grand Prix.

The Spaniard was forced to settle for fourth place on Sunday as Sebastian Vettel secured victory at the Nurburgring.

However, Alonso believes that it was the lack of pace from his car that prevented Ferrari from claiming victory.

"It was very good, the strategy," the former world champion told reporters. "I think this strategy gave us the possibility to fight for the podium.

"We were not quick enough today, we didn't have the pace. And even with that, we fight for the podium and we were very close to the leading group."

"It's hard for me to imagine, if we start fifth and we go soft-hard-hard-hard as the main competitors, I don't think I'd have finished four seconds behind them or fight with them - because we are slower than them and they will pull away."

Alonso is now 34 points behind Vettel in the Drivers' Championship.