Ferrari: Sure Win in 2007 Italian Grand Prix?

Ferrari looks to have the upper hand going into this weekend’s 2007 Italian Grand Prix since the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza Italy is the home track of Ferrari. Ferrari drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen are looking to do another 1-2 finish as they did in the recent 2007 Turkish Grand Prix in order to close the gap with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso of McLaren-Mercedez, who are leading in the Driver’s Championship standings. Lewis Hamilton has 84 points and his teammate Fernando Alonso, last year’s F1 champion, is close behind has 79 points. Felipe Massa has 69 points and Kimi Raikkonen has 68 points. With 5 races left in the season, a first and second place win in Monza can definitely give enough points for Massa and Raikkonen to make it close competition for Hamilton and Alonso. But as long as Alonso and Hamilton can score some points by finishing within the top 6, then at least those points can help defend their lead.

All those F1 drivers mentioned - Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso, Hamilton - have 3 first-place finishes each this season.  Definitely, the 2007 Italian Grand Prix will be the perfect stage that will break the tie in the wins column should one of them get a first place finish. In last season’s 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen (driving for Mclaren-Mercedez) was able to secure pole position in qualifying. However, Michael Schumacher ended up winning the race for Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen had 2nd place.

When asked about his views regarding the upcoming 2007 Italian Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen explained, “Traditionally Ferrrari has been very competitive here, but also McLaren has been very strong, during the years when I raced for them, but for some reason or another I never managed to win. Let’s hope we can make it this time by being perfect from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon. Winning the homerace of Ferrari would be a great feeling.”

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa is also enthusiastic about the 2007 Italian Grand Prix, especially after coming out with a big victory in Istanbul for the Turkish Grand Prix in the last F1 race.

“Monza is a special race for Ferrari. Racing in front of our fans and the employees of the Gestione Sportive, who have their own grandstand, is an extra boost. And then, this is a track that is part of Formula One history with an extraordinary appeal. It would be good to get a second consecutive win after Istanbul and another one-two,” Massa said.

One thing’s for sure in this coming 2007 Italian Grand Prix - the Ferrari fans with all the prancing horses and flags will be the noisiest and most festive, considering that this is their home circuit, and maybe that support could be the edge that would give Ferrari another win.

For more odds on the 2007 Italian Formula One Grand Prix, click here.