Elsewhere,
Renault finally confirmed that it would supply
Red Bull with engines from next season but, with
Ferrari remaining stubborn over its current deal with Red Bull Racing, it remains unclear whether Christian Horner's squad, or the sister
Scuderia Toro Rosso operation, will get the
RS26 evolution for 2007.
Finally, the Turkish Grand Prix escaped a ban following its controversial podium ceremony in August, but the organisers and national governing body were instead slapped with a hefty fine. Imola remains confident of joining Istanbul on the 2007 schedule, and has received the backing of Ferrari in its bid for late inclusion, while a Dale Earnhardt Jr project in Alabama has outlined its intention to pursue the USGP in future seasons.
NEWS FROM THE TEAMS:
Renault - Fernando Alonso (#1), Giancarlo Fisichella (#2):
The high of Turkey where, despite not winning, Alonso stabilised the gap to Schumacher, went up in smoke, literally, at the Italian Grand Prix, where the Spaniard's qualifying penal;ty not only overshadowed what turned out to be one of the qualifying laps of the season, but also, according to the driver, forced him to push his machinery beyond its limits in the race.
Schumacher's romp to victory in front of the
tifosi then rubbed salt into the wounds, closing the gap between them to just two points with three races remaining.
"We have been saying all year that you cannot predict what will happen on track, with the competition being so close," he said, keen to gloss over the Monza weekend, "Instead, we are focused on our objectives, and that means qualifying at the front and winning the race. That will be the target.
"I have the opinion that stress is not useful. We have to do our job, and I must do 100 per cent with the team. If we do that job well and we deserve the title, then we will win. The important thing in the next races is to give the maximum to the team.
