Alonso the right driver at the right time - di Montezemolo

More praise for Fernando Alonso from the President of Ferrari Luca di Montezemolo, this time saying that the Spaniards style was needed to replace what Kimi 'The Iceman' Raikkonen wasn't able to contribute. Hence why the Finn's contract was ended a year earlier than planned.

“We have been watching him since 2007," di Montezemolo said about Alonso, "and Domenicali discussed it with me this summer."

“He is an extremely talented driver, quick and good at working with a team, while being totally focussed on winning. I think he is coming to Ferrari at just the right time in his career.

"We had already reached an agreement for 2011, when both our drivers’ contracts would have expired. Then, we realised that our team needed a driver capable of really getting involved with the engineers, a characteristic that was not part of Kimi’s genetic make-up, even though he is an amazingly talented guy."

And while Raikkonen won the Drivers Championship during his first year at Ferrari and contributed to two Constructors Championships for the Scuderia, the chairman added, "We were aware that something else was needed for the way we operate and therefore, we opted for Alonso. The role of Santander? Certainly, they are happy, but it is not the sponsors that choose the drivers: we have never operated like that and we never will.”