In today’s continuing run of “nothing too shocking coming from Maranello,” we have Fernando Alonso recapping his race that wasn’t at the Belgium Grand Prix.
Short version. Let’s get to Monza!
And it’s hard to blame him. Coming to the Tifosi’s home for the first time as a Ferrari pilot will be something. (I can speak from experience, having been there last year, remember. The place in 2009 was flooded with Kimi Raikkonen gear; I would imagine that might be eclipsed by Alonso, although I did meet a ton of Kimi fans, first, who were only in red because their driver was.)
Here’s some highlights from Alonso’s latest Ferrari “diary“:
It seems that this year, the opening laps have not gone too well for me: in five races out of thirteen, I have found myself slipping to the back, either because of our own mistakes or because of circumstances beyond our control, as was the case two days ago in Belgium. I have always said – and I repeat it now – that in the course of the season, good luck and bad luck tend to balance one another out, so let’s hope that from now on it’s payback time!
[snip]
With this points system and the way races swing one way or another, I am convinced we still have a significant chance. There are 150 points up for grabs, enough to turn the situation around. We must remain calm and concentrate, to try and make up the difference as soon as possible. There is no denying that the Monza race will be very important. At our home circuit we will have to do everything to avoid losing any more points: a good result here would be a great boost. If things go badly, it won’t be over but it would be a hard knock for team morale.
Racing at Monza for the first time as a Ferrari driver will definitely be a nice feeling. Our team is made up of 95% Italians and you can feel the passion and the will to do well for this special event. I can’t wait to be there and look forward to seeing the grandstands packed with fans: we need their support.
The line that sticks out to me is the last one. The “we need their support.” I feel like Ferrari — and Alonso in these posts, in particular — tends to come at these things from the perspective of: “We can’t wait to see their support.” Or: “We’re looking forward to giving them something to cheer about come race day.” A bit more, well yeah, boastful. A bit more bravado. A bit more… Ferrari?
Does this one seem a little different? Is it meaningful?
