Alonso urges consistency in run-in

Italian Grand Prix winner Fernando Alonso has warned his Ferrari team they will need to find true consistency for the title run-in if they want this season to end in glory.

The 29-year-old Spaniard said his hopes of a third drivers’ title would depend on how Ferrari handle the closing five races.

“I think this result gives you some extra confidence and good motivation for the whole team,” he said after claiming a home victory for Ferrari on his maiden run at Monza.

“So, we’ll keep working hard and try not to give up – one race or a bad race can change the points a lot in the championship.

“For me, for us, this was a good weekend. Spa was a bad weekend – and now we need to find consistency in the last five races.

“That will be the key – this result is good motivation for all of us, but in the remaining five races it is really the important races and the good points.

“So we need to enjoy these two days and we’ll be in Maranello to say thanks for the whole team – and championship-wise there is time to think later on.”

The scenes that followed Alonso’s success on Sunday merely under­lined the passion of the tifosi (Ferrari fans) as they deluged the pit straight.

Even Alonso, after the 24th win of his career that moves him up to eighth in F1’s all-time list level with five-times champion Juan Manuel Fangio, was left amazed.

“Being on the podium was an incredible feeling. What a sea of people, so many flags,” said Alonso.

“I was stunned by the emotion from the fans, right from the first moment they got here on Thursday, so I dedicate this victory to them and to the passion that characterises all Ferrari fans.”

In winning, Alonso delivered his team president Luca di Montezemolo’s call to turn pole position into a decisive triumph.

He said it was Ferrari’s decision to do one lap after defending champion Jenson Button of McLaren entered the pits that was decisive.

“We were thinking at the time of the possibility of coming in. The possibilities were to come in one lap later or one lap earlier,” said Alonso.

“We had to find the right choice at the right moment. When we saw Jenson coming in, there was one lap to push and rely on the mechanics.

“I think the lap was more or less okay, nothing special, but the pit-stop was superb.”

His Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa was also delighted to finish third.

He said: “It was a good result at the end, but for sure at the start I had a chance to pass maybe Fernando who was struggling on the second corner with Jenson.

“And it was the right decision on the pit stops. It was a good race and the performance of the car was good – and the people celebrating on the track were amazing at the end.”