Alonso: “I try to be positive”

Fernando, after Hungary and Valencia, the Spa-Francorchamps race was also disappointing. How did you experience it?

It was very frustrating for me because we again missed a good chance to fight for a podium and score important points. It's true that we weren't fast enough during the qualifying session, but the car was more competitive during the race. Things were looking promising until my first refueling stop, when it became clear that the car had been damaged.

Do you think your luck will change at Monza?

I hope so because we have a competitive car but we have not, until now, been able to demonstrate it. We saw how fast the car is at the Nürburgring, Budapest and Valencia. Unfortunately, for various reasons, we did not score the points we should have scored. However, I always move forward. I'm trying to be positive and going into the rest of the championship with a strong belief that we can finish the season strong.

How do you approach the Italian Grand Prix on a specific circuit like Monza? 

It's a special circuit and the fastest of the season. We will therefore have a specific aerodynamic package, with low downforce. For this reason the car will feel very strange and light as we will lack a bit of grip in the corners. In the past we tested at Monza before the race; a specific focus is necessary. Now this is no longer possible, so it will be necessary to work a lot on Friday to find a good basis for settings. It will be necessary to have a car that is fast on the straights, stable when braking and able to use the curbs in the chicanes.