Alonso eyes Italian podium

The Spaniard got off to a flying start in Belgium from third on the grid overtaking Ferrari's Michael Schumacher to take up the second slot behind team-mate Jarno Trulli. When the Italian went into the pits for his first stop, Alonso took over the lead, but it didn't last long for he spun out after an engine oil leak escaped onto his rear tyres.

Alonso refuses to dwell on his disappointment in Spa, though, and is looking ahead to this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, a race in a country he feels particularly at home in.

"I am feeling strong and confident for this race," he said. "In Spa, I had a reliability problem that prevented me from finishing the race, but things were looking very good until then. In terms of racing in Italy, this will be a little bit like having another home race for me - I have spent a lot of time in Italy, and feel like I am at home whenever I come here. Monza is a unique place, a special place, to race, and the fans are always passionate. I am looking forward to the challenge."

The odds look good for Alonso, who topped the final day of testing at the Italian track last week. It's no surprise to hear then that the Spaniard is aiming high for the race.

"We always say that we want to wait and see, but obviously after the Monza test, we have a better idea than usual of where we are compared to the competition," he said. "Overall, that the car should suit this circuit, and we were competitive in terms of straightline speed during testing. It is always hard to make predictions, but we should certainly be fighting for the podium. It won't be easy and there will still be work to do on Friday to adapt the car to the conditions, and get the tyres working correctly. If we can do that, then we should be very strong in the race.