Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa can't wait for Ferrari's home grand prix at Monza this weekend.
Fernando Alonso: "I am here in Maranello getting ready for a special event, my first Italian Grand Prix as a Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver. From a technical point of view, Monza is a very different race to all the others: its long straights require a very low level of downforce and, as a consequence, unique aerodynamic elements. But clearly, this is not the only thing that makes Monza special: it is Ferrari's home race and even if ours is a team that tackles every Grand Prix in the same way, giving it our best shot, always trying to win, there is no doubt that everyone in Maranello really wants to do well in front of our fans. You can see that on everyone's faces, especially as, mixed in with the fans in the grandstands, many of our people will have their family and friends watching.
"Even though we can no longer test on the Fiorano track, as we used to do up until a few years ago, I often spend time in Maranello in-between the races. From my very first day here, I discovered a great atmosphere in the factory: everyone is very friendly and you are soon made to feel part of the group. Apart from the work side - and there is always something to do, be it in the simulator or having meetings with the engineers - we always manage to spend a little time together as friends, maybe kicking a football around, going for a bike ride or having dinner together. And of course the food is fantastic! There is no point denying the fact this is a tricky moment of the season for us. In Monza, if we do not pick up a significant number of points and our competitors get the maximum and pull away in the lead, then the situation in the classification would become very difficult. I'm not saying it would be impossible to reach our target, because that kind of talk does not exist in Formula 1, but we are aware of the situation and we are ready to react to any eventuality.
"As I said last week, in Spa the performance of the F10 did not live up to our expectations. The engineers have now carefully analysed the data from the race and from the aero test that Giancarlo Fisichella carried out down the straight at Vairano. It produced indications which led us to understand what did not work as it should have done and we have put those elements right for the next event. I am therefore confident about our chances of getting back to fighting for a place on the podium, just as we had done prior to the summer break.
Felipe Massa: "I have had a busy time in the run up to this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, which will be so important for Ferrari's chances in the fight for the World Championship title. Last weekend I returned to Budapest and the Hungaroring, for a Ferrari event, which was very enjoyable. It is strange that, although I am Brazilian and I live in Monaco, Hungary will forever be an important part of my life ever since what happened there last year. More unusual, is the fact that I now seem to get a great welcome from the people whenever I go back, which I appreciate very much. Over the weekend, I drove some demonstration laps in last year's F60 and also drove a Ferrari California road car and I was pleased to be able to give the doctor who looked after me in hospital there a ride in this fantastic car around the race track.
"Last week, I also went to Maranello, where I met with my engineers to discuss technical matters relating to Monza and also did a session in our simulator, in preparation for this weekend. It is obvious that the fourteenth race of the year will be very important for the Scuderia, not just because of it being the home race, but also because of the current situation in the championship. In Spa, given everything that happened in the race there, finishing fourth having started sixth was a good result, but in terms of the points situation, we needed more. So, looking at the championship, there will be some pressure this weekend, although I have always felt that the spotlight that falls on Ferrari in Monza is a positive thing and I enjoy seeing all the red flags, hats and T shirts and hearing the noise of the tifosi cheering, whenever we leave the pits. From a personal point of view, Italy is definitely my second country after Brazil, as my grandfather emigrated from Italy and I even hold an Italian passport.
"I have never done very well in the Italian Grand Prix and in fact my best finish is just a sixth place in a wet race in 2008. All the same, I like the track even if I have not had much luck there, like in 2007 when I was in the top three but did not finish the race. I have won in Monza, because I spent much of my early career racing there, with two victories in Formula Renault and one in Formula 3000. The track is now unique on the calendar in requiring very low downforce, so the car is very different to the rest of the year, running with very small wings, which means it needs to have good mechanical grip and work well on the kerbs. I think our car should be competitive here, or at least I hope so, because usually the F10 has gone well this season on tracks that feature hard braking at the end of straights, into slow corners, such as Bahrain and Hockenheim and even in Canada. I am looking forward to the weekend, because it is nice to end the European part of the season at such a great circuit."
Source - Ferrari website
