Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport Announces that Alonso is a Wizard

Maybe it’s just me, but the atmosphere in Lodi today is simply electric. People are walking around with an extra bounce in their step and Ferrari’s thrilling victory in Malaysia is on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

I happened to bump into a friend of mine who used to work for Ferrari while on the way to purchase today’s Gazzetta dello Sport. Although she no longer is with the team, she still is very passionate about them and always speaks extremely fondly of her time in Maranello. She beamed at me broadly when she saw me wearing my Ferrari piquet polo shirt and we proceeded to chat excitedly about the race. She had been on the edge of her seat cheering on Fernando Alonso, just as I was and was very happy for the team. When I asked her about Felipe Massa, she replied that she couldn’t see him being replaced before the end of the season. Apparently Massa is very well liked at Ferrari and even though he is not performing, he still has many friends within the team.

After our very interesting conversation, I grabbed myself a copy of the Gazzetta dello Sport and anxiously rushed home to read it. For those of you who have never heard of the Gazzetta, it is Italy’s favourite daily sports newspaper and often publishes articles about Ferrari that range from celebratory to inflammatory within its light pink pages. Want to know what most Italian tifosi are talking about? Pick up an issue of the Gazzetta dello Sport and read about it.

 

 

An interesting fact about the Gazzetta is that one Enzo Ferrari even published an article for the newspaper in his youth. After his initial dream of becoming a famous opera singer failed as Enzo simply did not have the talent for the profession, the passionate Ferrari founder began perusing a career in sports journalism. At the tender age of sixteen, he wrote an article titled “Inter Milan-Modena 7:1” which was published in the famous newspaper. In addition to this, in 1924 Ferrari’s love of journalism saw him become one of the founders of the sporting newspaper Corriere dello Sport in Bologna. I am always amazed and inspired when I think about Enzo Ferrari’s many accomplishments, he was truly a remarkable person.

Back to the Gazzetta dello Sport, today’s headlines were naturally written in a triumphant tone. “Mago Alonso” or “Wizard Alonso” proclaimed the front page with a picture of a jubilant Alonso celebrating on the podium. Inside the newspaper, amongst the race analysis was an article about Sergio Perez’s remarkable drive. “Il Futuro è suo” it read, “The Future is his”.

When Perez turned around to look at the Mexican flag as it was being raised on the podium yesterday and then looked out at the crowd with an innocent smile, I couldn’t help but wonder what the future has in store for this talented young man. It seems almost certain that he will be wearing red sometime soon and it is my hope that his drive in Malaysia is just the first of many trips to the podium that he will be taking this year.

As for today’s newspaper, I plan on keeping it as a memento of this victory. It now joins my pile of old newspapers that includes headlines such as Jacques Villeneuve’s World championship in 1997 and Rubens Barrichello’s maiden win in 2000. I know that one day I will take it out, dust it off and smile when I relive this wonderful day. Forza Ferrari!