This is not a key race for the championship - Alonso

In spite of the hype surrounding this weekend’s race, Fernando Alonso is keeping his cool in Imola. The hype started after last years San Marino Grand Prix. Alonso won after a very exciting race where he was able to keep seven times WC, Michael Schumacher, behind him.

"I don’t think it is such a key race. Ferrari are very optimistic because this has always been a good race for them, and if they can win any race, it is probably this one. But it only brings ten points like Australia. For me, I prefer to be second here and to start winning again in the Nürburgring. It will not change so much in the championship, if we are on the podium here."

"Yes, our opponents are getting stronger and stronger, improving their car during the three weeks. The teams that were a bit down or had car problems, have the time to be ready for this race. So we will have to wait and see what the competition is like this weekend."

"At the moment, we are really strong. We have had no problems, finished the races and scored points. As soon as you have a small advantage in the championship, if you finish all the races – even in third or fourth – then it is hard for the opposition to recover and come back. It will be hard to beat us if we are consistent, and finish on the podium in the second part of the year. But it is still too early to really say..."

"We were still competitive, at the top of times running with heavy fuel, and maybe more than our rivals. So I think we are quite strong, and we didn’t seem to have lost the advantage from Australia. Now, we will see how the tyre manufacturer battle is, because last year we saw Ferrari 1.5s quicker in the race, and we could do nothing about it. But I think Michelin have learned a lot from last year, made a good step forward, and I think we will have a much better tyre this year."

"It seems it will be a little slower, and not so much a straight line like before – it is two separate corners. Before, I think it was a little bit dangerous because the car could really fly if you took the kerb. Now, it is similar to the last chicane, which will be nice to drive, and to watch."

"I think we are more relaxed. We know what we have to do to win, and we are doing our job in the right way."