Formula One heads to the fastest grand prix track of this season this weekend when Monza hosts the Italian Grand Prix. And with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso leading the world championship, and tyre supplier Pirelli racing in its own backyard, the famous circuit is bound to be rocking!
The double world champ heads into the weekend leading the championship by 24 points, despite his first corner retirement at Spa.
The Spaniard’s Ferrari was hit by the flying Lotus of Romain Grosjean, who subsequently received a race ban for causing the accident.
Alonso meanwhile, who leads Red Bull duo Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber by 24 and 32 points respectively, has admitted he’s keen to see out his racing career at Ferrari.
“I finish my current contract for 2017, and at the moment I think it is still too early to be sure what my feelings and my motivation will be then,” Alonso said.
“If I’m still motivated and hungry, I would love to continue, and if I do it would only be with Ferrari for sure.
“If at that time I feel it is time to stop and have a different life, it will be a decision I make that year.
“I have been racing for so many years, it is a very demanding life and sport, but I know that one day the time to stop will arrive. We will see when that day comes.”
And Alonso explained he had received an apology from Grosjean for the first corner accident at Spa.
“I have a very good relationship with Grosjean,” Alonso continued. ” We were team-mates at Renault and after the accident he sent me a text.
“He didn’t calculate the distance and the problems, it was many factors together and he felt so sorry for the accident.
“I answered ‘no problem.’ We will see each other again in Singapore, it was all fine.”
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, linked this week with a surprise switch to Mercedes GP for next season, and his team-mate Jenson Button both head into the Monza race believing they can win.
And Button, who won last weekend at Spa, is confident Hamilton will remain at McLaren for 2013.
“I was surprised to see what I read,” the Englishman said, “and I also don’t have a clue if there is any truth in it at all. But I think I will have the same team-mate next year.
“This is the best choice for him. I think for all of us, if you are in the same place for too long it can get a bit stale: but this is a great team and a team that is always giving us the opportunity to fight for wins.
“Whether we have the chance to fight for the world championship is another matter; but they always give you the possibility to fight for grand prix wins. That is what a driver wants.
“But then again, a driver wants the excitement and adrenaline of new challenges and that is the reason why I came here in the first place.
“I don’t think anything will change next year in terms of driver line-up, but I may be wrong.”
About Jim McGill
Jim McGill is an award-winning motoring and motorsport journalist with more than 25 years' industry experience. He contributes to a number of newspapers and magazines, including The Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Scotsman, Sunday Herald and AA Magazine.
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