Q & A with Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso: "Very special, no doubts. All the drivers dream one day of driving for the Scuderia Ferrari and this dream has come true for me and I'm extremely happy and I'm ready for the challenge in 2010."

Q. How relieved are you that the news is finally out now?

FA: "Well, it doesn't change too much, to be honest. I'm happy that I can drive for next year because it's true we were close for an agreement in 2011 and I was sure that would be when I arrive at the team, but that's changed and I'm extremely happy that I don't have to wait another year for this dream."

Q. How will you match the legend that Michael Schumacher had there - five championships?

FA: "It will obviously be not easy and I would like to do the same as Michael, by winning many championships, but I think that it will be very difficult. I will go there to be in the best team possible for my career and Ferrari and I share many things together, such as the passion for competition and to give 100 per cent every race. I think that this is the best destination of my career."

Q. Is it true that you want to bring some former engineers from other teams with you?

FA: "No, there has been some things written, but they were not true. But I have no plans to bring anyone to Ferrari. They are professional enough and they are the best people in Formula 1 so they will be able to produce the best car."

Q. There is a history of Ferrari and McLaren dominating, but this year everything is different - has that changed your view at all?

FA: "No, I think this year has been a strange season with the top teams not fighting for the world championship, but I think Ferrari and McLaren are still the best two teams for F1 and will fight for the title in the future."

Q. Until two weeks ago there was a suggestion about your involvement in the Singapore issue - has that complicated the timing of this announcement?

FA: "No, no."

Q. You've been used to carrying the hopes of the Spanish nation, how do you feel now you have to carry the hopes of the Italian nation?

FA: "It feels good, I think, at the moment. We'll see next year if the results hopefully are good. But Ferrari is not only about Italy, but there are fans all over the world. Wherever you go on holiday, you're likely to see some tourists there with a Ferrari cap. I can feel this and it's great to feel it because you realise that it is more than one team."

Q. What can you bring to Ferrari?

FA: "Hopefully I can give to them the maximum performance in the car, from a driving point of view and outside the car I can be part of the team and be as professional as possible and to try and help the team produce the best car and give the best performance. I think all the drivers try to do this and sometimes you succeed."

Q. How is your relationship with Felipe?

FA: "It's a very good relationship. Felipe is a very quick driver and also a great personality, we are both Latin - Brazilian and Spanish - this will be good and Felipe has been in the team for many years now so he can help me a lot to adapt to the team as quickly as possible and in 2008 you saw the good relationship we Felipe and also Giancarlo in the team. It will be very good for me because I was team-mate for two years with Giancarlo at Renault and now he will help me also to adapt to the team as soon as possible."

Q. When did you sign the contract?

FA: "Very late, this week."

Q. Who do you think should replace you at Renault?

FA: "I have no idea, but hopefully a good driver that can fight for races and championships in the next years. I don't know really."

Q. What do you think you can give Ferrari that they don't have at the moment?

FA: "I don't know really, I don't know what we can do together. But for sure, we can work, probably in the same way as they are doing now. I can make sure that I will put all my input and experience there and I will be 365 days working for Ferrari."

Q. When do you start work with Ferrari - is it immediately after the end of the last race?

FA: "There is nothing decided at the moment."

Q. Who will engineer you next year?

FA: "I don't know."

Q. Did you talk to Flavio about this move?

FA: "Yes, of course, I was in touch with Flavio two months ago when we were talking about 2011 at that time and now in the last few days when everything was sorted for 2010. I spoke with Flavio and he was very happy for me because he knows what Ferrari means and he is extremely happy for my career now."

Q. We understand that Kimi will join McLaren, how do you think he will get on with Lewis?

FA: "Well, we must wait for that arrival, because at the moment it is nothing but speculation and rumour. So better not to say anything in case it doesn't happen."

Q. Have you decided which model Ferrari road car you want to own?

FA: "No, I've not decided, but this is one of the less important things to worry about in my mind..."

Q. Which driver would you recommend replaces you at Renault?

FA: "You know that I rate Kubica, he is one of my best friends and one of the best drivers in the world. If they have any chance, then I recommend him."

Q. What changed to enable you to join Ferrari a year early?

FA: "I don't know, that's a question for them, but something very good changed."

Q. Do you have a preference if Rubens or Jenson wins the championship?

FA: "No preference, to be honest. Both of them are very nice guys and they deserve to win the title. But I really think that Jenson has a very high chance to win the championship with the advantage he has now. It's 90 per cent."

Q. You've left Renault and came back to the team before - will you do that again?

FA: "I think that it's impossible to say. I really think that Ferrari will be my last team, as I said, leaving Ferrari to change teams is a step backwards. Ferrari is more than a team and I want to finish my career there."

Q. How long is the contract?

FA: "It is for three years with some options to continue, so hopefully I can continue as long as I want and I can finish my career here with a lot of wins."

Q. Do you think that by moving to Ferrari you could be the best driver of all time?

FA: "I think that it's impossible to say which driver is better in F1, I was lucky to have some competitive cars in the past and I proved I can do the job when the car is good, so I'm sure with Ferrari we will have a competitive car - they are the best in the history of F1 and they will continue to build the best cars. In that case I'm sure they will perform to win races and to win championships. This is only a hope at the moment."

Q. How is Flavio? Does he want revenge?

FA: "I spoke to him by telephone, but he doesn't seem to worry at the moment. Yesterday he was relaxing at the beach, so he doesn't seem that hungry at the moment..."

Q. What would it mean to win a title for Ferrari?

FA: "It's an easy answer. I would be extremely happy, winning a championship is something special and winning with Ferrari would be more special, but I cannot tell you now as I haven't yet experienced it."