Sep
8th
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Adapted from GMM
Tifosi favourite Fernando Alonso will not have to move five places down Sunday's Italian grand prix grid, but that's not to say his race bodes well.
Surely, Alonso must have felt relieved to hear he would not suffer any penalty despite his gearbox failing, but the news was probably overshadowed by a brake problem coupled to an engine failure on Friday.
Technical director Pat Fry explained that the latter glitch was because the Spaniard was using "a Friday engine at high mileage".
The man himself, meanwhile, said on Friday that even though the F2012 seems more competitive at Monza compared to Spa a week ago, "McLaren is the favourite to win" on Sunday.
Lotus and Mercedes look quick as well.
As predicted by Alonso, McLaren dominated qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton on pole ahead of his teammate Jenson Button.
The Spaniard, only 10th on the Monza grid, was quoted by AS newspaper: "As we said in Belgium, if we can not win then the best news is that McLaren is strongest.
"One (Hamilton) is 47 points behind, the other (Button) 63, so we can afford for them to win a few times without too much worry."
Alonso's closest points challenger, Sebastian Vettel, qualified fifth at Monza.
Tifosi favourite Fernando Alonso will not have to move five places down Sunday's Italian grand prix grid, but that's not to say his race bodes well.
Surely, Alonso must have felt relieved to hear he would not suffer any penalty despite his gearbox failing, but the news was probably overshadowed by a brake problem coupled to an engine failure on Friday.
Technical director Pat Fry explained that the latter glitch was because the Spaniard was using "a Friday engine at high mileage".
The man himself, meanwhile, said on Friday that even though the F2012 seems more competitive at Monza compared to Spa a week ago, "McLaren is the favourite to win" on Sunday.
Lotus and Mercedes look quick as well.
As predicted by Alonso, McLaren dominated qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton on pole ahead of his teammate Jenson Button.
The Spaniard, only 10th on the Monza grid, was quoted by AS newspaper: "As we said in Belgium, if we can not win then the best news is that McLaren is strongest.
"One (Hamilton) is 47 points behind, the other (Button) 63, so we can afford for them to win a few times without too much worry."
Alonso's closest points challenger, Sebastian Vettel, qualified fifth at Monza.