Forza Fernando! Alonso Wins in Italy

Fernando Alonso won an intriguing, if not exciting, Italian Grand Prix, beating Jenson Button to the chequered flag in Ferrari's home race

Although Alonso started the grand prix from pole position, the Spaniard lost out to Button off the line as the Brit pulled off a flying start.

And with Championship leader Lewis Hamilton out of the grand on the first lap with a broken steering arm curtesy of a coming together with Felipe Massa, it was a perfect opportunity for his title rivals to make up some ground on the 2008 World Champ.

Button put up with immense pressure from Alonso, who maintained a second gap between the two as they traded fastest laps with Massa always in the background in third place.

However, it was the pit stops that decided the race as Button pitted on lap 37, handing the lead over to Alonso, who pitted a lap later.

Alonso emerged marginally ahead of Button and although the reigning World Champ tried to put his warmer tyres to good use and overtake the Spaniard, he was unable to.

From there it was Alonso who had to put up with the pressure applied by Button, however, it wasn't long he appeared to break Button's spirits and pull away from the McLaren driver to claim Ferrari's first home victory since 2006.

Massa was third with Sebastian Vettel, who came in for his mandatory pit stop on the very last lap of the grand prix, in fourth place.

Results:
01. Alonso Ferrari 1h16:24.572
02. Button McLaren-Mercedes + 2.938
03. Massa Ferrari + 4.223
04. Vettel Red Bull-Renault + 28.193
05. Rosberg Mercedes + 29.942
06. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 31.276
07. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth + 32.812
08. Kubica Renault + 34.028
09. Schumacher Mercedes + 44.948
10. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth + 1:04.200
11. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1:05.00
12. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes + 1:06.100
13. Petrov Renault + 1:18.900
14. De la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari + 1 lap
15. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1 lap
16. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 1 lap
17. Glock Virgin-Cosworth + 2 laps
18. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth + 2 laps
19. Di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth + 2 laps
20. Yamamoto HRT-Cosworth + 2 laps

Did Not Finish
Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 47
Senna HRT-Cosworth 12
Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1
Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1

Source: Planet-F1