From PlanetF1.com:



Fernando Alonso admits he loves the pressure that comes with being one of the favourites to win races, saying "it's not really my thing" to be aiming for eighth or ninth place.

The Spaniard starts just about every race as one of the favourites these days following his much publicised move to Ferrari at the start of the year.

Asked by the official Formula One website why it's special to drive for the Italian outfit, Alonso said: "I love this pressure. I love the feeling to absolutely deliver the performance. I love it to start the race as the favourite. "This is why it was particularly difficult for me in the last two seasons at Renault. To know after qualifying that you are at best eighth or ninth is not really my thing. This is why I prefer being in this situation now. The bigger the pressure is, the more people expect from me - and the more comfortable I feel."

Alonso, who left McLaren at the end of 2007 following a turbulent season alongside then rookie Lewis Hamilton, says he made his mind about moving to the Scuderia shortly after leaving the Woking-based team.

"When I left McLaren at the end of 2007 it was already in my head that I wanted to be a Ferrari driver at some point of time," the double World Champion said. "This was my goal. I did not exactly have my best time at McLaren.

"The history of Formula One shows clearly that Ferrari and McLaren are the strongest teams. To make my career perfect I knew that I had to go to Ferrari. At the beginning it was just a dream, but last summer the critical meetings were put in place to make this dream come true. After that everything went really quickly and I did not let this incredible opportunity pass me by."