Drivers are looking to make mark at Italian Grand Prix
The Italian Grand Prix in Monza is a big race for a lot of reasons. It's been running back to 1921, (in Monza since 1922), and has a special atmosphere and significance for a lot of racers.
In a candid Q & A with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Formula One stars Fernando Alonso, Rubens Barrichello, Jenson Button, Vitantonio Liuzzi, and Jarno Trulli discussed their cars, milestone races, team prospects and controversies, and their expectations for the upcoming race on Sunday.
For Jarno Trulli of Lotus, one of two Italians gearing up for their native country’s race, Monza is an undeniably special occasion. Steeped in history, one of the oldest tracks on the F1 circuit is a favourite among drivers and fans. “I enjoy Monza as it is a special atmosphere. It is a home grand prix. We have got the tifosi [Ferrari fans] all around. A big Ferrari support but Italian drivers are always very welcome…it is the temple of motorsport and coming back with a heritage team like Lotus feels special.”
Williams’ Rubens Barrichello, on the other hand, celebrated his own special occasion at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, with a landmark 300th Grand Prix. The Brazilian discussed his thoughts on meeting young, aspiring fans and his reaction to them. “There is a time when you come with all the travelling and all the pressure that you suffer from yourself, from the team and from the country sometimes you forget why you do it. You do it because you love it so much. I have been doing that for such a long time.”
The veteran racer expressed his dismay at having collided into Ferrari’s Alonso from behind, causing both drivers to crash out of the race. “It was really unfortunate. If I could rewind a little bit and go back to there I would have done something different in a race I think we would have had a chance to finish top eight or something as it is those conditions that I love.”
Meanwhile, Vitantonio Liuzzi discussed changes being made to Force India, and expressed his confidence at the possibility of staying with the team next year.
Reigning champion Jenson Button of McLaren and Fernando Alonso revealed their thoughts on the progress of the season and the dramatic change of events in recent weeks. “It is amazing how much talk there is about the difference at the front back to fourth place or back to third place,” states Button. “That talk has only been for two weeks as it has only been one race that has changed the championship if you like. It can easily go around the other way. We have got six races to go, so it only needs one race really for the leaders to have a bad race. Realistically sat here now I don’t think that we need the leaders to have an incident or to not score or to have a reliability issue. We know there are still a lot of possibilities and it is necessary to be fighting for a win at every race we go to, but that is my aim.”
Alonso, who is contention for the title along with Button, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, and Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, agreed. “I think that before Spa, we were holding a very small difference, a small gap and then after one race the gap did increase but this can change very quickly, race by race.”
The Spaniard then went on to reassure fans and critics that he would be prepared for the World Council hearing regarding the team orders scandal at the German Grand Prix. “We are set, we are aware of the FIA’s decision, so we just have to respect it and I think that is now in the past for us, and we need to concentrate on Monza already.”
Proceeding to answer several other questions from the floor, the drivers’ overall feeling approaching this weekend’s Grand Prix is the same – excitement, tension, and expectation. With time ticking in the F1 championship hunt, every race becomes that much more important- and the storied Italian race is always a significant one to begin with.
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