Giovinazzi: If we take another step it will be 'mega'

©AlfaRomeo

Antonio Giovinazzi says if Alfa Romeo can extract a bit more performance from its car on Sunday, he could be set to enjoy a "mega" home race at Monza.

Giovinazzi is fighting to retain his seat with Alfa Romeo for 2022 amid rumors that the Swiss outfit is considering several alternatives to the Italian.

But the 27-year-old is keeping his head, and after qualifying P10 on Friday - his second Q3 in a row - he put in a strong performance in Saturday's sprint race which he concluded P8 after fending off in the short event the Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

However, Giovinazzi will line up seventh on the Italian Grand Prix grid following sprint race winner Valtteri Bottas' demotion to the back following Mercedes' decision to add a new power unit to the Finn's pool of hardware.

Read also: Zhou earmarked for second Alfa seat alongside Bottas

"It was again a positive day," said the Italian. "We saw already this morning [in FP2] that the race pace was there.

"I focused on the start, gained a position there and gained a position to Perez and after that, it was just keeping the position.

"It was not easy in the end of the race to keep Perez behind, but really happy. Tomorrow we start P7 and let’s see what we can do from there."

Looking ahead at his race prospects, Giovinazzi noted the strong straight-line speed of his C41 that could help his performance in Sunday's race.

"I’m pretty happy actually with the speed on the straight." he said. "In Monza, it’s important so for sure we have pace.

"So tomorrow, if we take another step it will be mega."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.