Alonso: Minardi will move forward

Alonso has left Minardi to be test driver for the Renault team next year, but the F1 young gun believes that after a difficult season under new ownership, his former team has plans in place that will see it move off the bottom of the grid.

Stoddart bought Minardi just five weeks before the start of the 2001 season and for next year the Australian airline magnate has put in place a supply of Asiatech engines and the new car is also well under way.

"With the new engine it will be much better," Alonso told Autosport.com. "For sure the Asiatech engine will be a big improvement and the performance of Minardi will change for next year. They should be a strong team and will make 14th or 15th place and not 21st and 22nd."

Despite Alonso's optimism however, the 20-year-old says the Anglo-Italian team needs to concentrate on bringing together its two camps at Ledbury in the UK and Faenza in Italy.

"I think it's difficult to put together the English people and the Italian people, because they are different groups and they have different heads," Alonso added. "But I think the first year was good. I think Paul is moving the team in the right direction and I think he is the right person to be there, because he is a little bit crazy and Minardi needs that."

For a full Alonso Q&A, click here, and for full analysis of why the youngster has opted for a Renault test seat next year, see this week's AUTOSPORT magazine.