Ferrari not interested in signing Alonso

Bringing Fernando Alonso to Ferrari to partner world champion Kimi Raikkonen would not be desirable, team president Luca di Montezemolo said on Tuesday.

Alonso denied this month that he had an escape clause in his contract with struggling Renault that might allow him to leave for Ferrari at the end of the Formula One season.

However, Spain`s double world champion did say contracts were “very flexible” given his departure from McLaren last year.

Felipe Massa`s shaky start for world champions Ferrari this season increased the speculation.

However, Massa won in Bahrain and now Montezemolo has said Alonso would not be the ideal driver.

“To line up a Raikkonen-Alonso double act would mean wanting to damage yourself. I want two equal drivers that work together,” the president told Tuesday`s Gazzetta dello Sport.

Di Montezemolo also said he would be devoting more time to Ferrari after stepping down as head of Italy`s industry body.

Alonso, meanwhile, told El Pais newspaper on Monday that his future at Renault would depend on the team providing him with a car capable of fighting on top.

“There are a lot of factors to evaluate,” the Spaniard said. “My first option is to stay with Renault if we manage to create a winning car, and the truth is that we are moving forwards.

“But what I do want is a car with which I can win. There are several, Williams, Toyota, BMW and Ferrari, of course, who are always on top no matter what. I wouldn`t want to continue fighting to get into Q3.”

22.4.2008   ▪ Formula One    ▪ Alonso, Ferrari    ▪ www.autosport.com