Italian GP: Alonso, “Ready to fight”

The first official press conference of the Italian Grand Prix weekend saw the presence of both Ferrari drivers. A clear testimony to the importance of the Scuderia here in Monza.

The excitement that accompanies entering the Royal Park for the first time during the week translated into a good state of mind for our Spanish driver. “I'm optimistic,” began Fernando Alonso when asked what his feeling was for Sunday's race in the Temple of Speed. “At Spa we saw that we had made a step forward. Our plan is to continue in this direction and continue to improve here in Monza. The characteristics of the track should help our performance level. We are in a position to have a good weekend. We have to get a result on Sunday in the race, but we arrive with the right confidence and ready to fight. To get better evidence of how much we are improving, however, we have to wait for Singapore, where we will take to the track in maximum downforce configuration. For now we will focus on this weekend, trying to do our best and finish ahead of our main rivals."

A journalist highlighted how only two victories in the next two races could keep the Spanish rider's world championship hopes alive. “So far this year, we have won two Grands Prix. It is therefore too optimistic to think that we can win the next two races,” commented Fernando. “A more realistic goal is to finish ahead of Sebastian. Only at Silverstone, when he retired, were we able to reduce the gap. We need to change this situation. I would therefore be happy to finish the race ahead of him here and in Singapore. Getting ahead of him means being on the podium, because we know how strong he is. If we don't succeed, and we continue to lose points, then the time will come to think more about the 2014 project. But there are still many points available and important weeks to face. We are convinced we can do it."

Over the course of the week, Alonso made headlines for a reason… on two wheels. The Ferrari driver, in fact, has acquired a high-level Spanish cycling team. There was some concern on the part of the journalists because this could perhaps mean that Formula 1 no longer had their full attention. But Fernando removed any doubts, explaining the situation in detail: “There was a lot of work for a week, using a lot of phone battery, but now the picture is more or less complete. All decisions and work for the cycling team will pass to other people,” Alonso said. “We have a lot to do in the coming months, with the first race in mid-January in Australia. This is an ambitious project, but I won't spend much time on it because we are fighting for the World Championship. I have been passionate about cycling since I was a child, and it is part of my training and my life. I have some dear friends in the cycling world. With this project I want to combine the best aspects of both sports: from cycling, sacrifice, determination, discipline, training. And I want to bring the best things of Formula 1, and there are many, to my cycling team." So no thoughts of taking a sabbatical from Ferrari to focus on two wheels? Obviously not: “I'm in the best moment of my career and I don't want to miss any opportunities. I will give one hundred percent to motorsport, which is my passion and my career. For at least the next four or five years I will be one hundred percent committed to Formula 1."