Alonso extends dealposted in F119 | 05 | 2011

FERNANDO ALONSO has committed himself to Ferrari until 2016 after extending his contract with the Italian squad. The Spaniard, double Formula One world champ and who narrowly missed out on last year's title, joined the Maranello outfit last year and admitted he would like to end his career at Ferrari. His original deal took him only until the end of next season.

"It is a great pleasure to have renewed our agreement with a driver who has always demonstrated a winning mentality even in the most difficult circumstances," Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said today.

"Fernando has all the required qualities, both technically and personally to play a leading role in the history of Ferrari and I hope he will be enriching it with further wins very soon." And the Spaniard added his delight at committing himself to Ferrari for another five years

"I am very happy to have reached this agreement," he smiled. "I immediately felt comfortable within Ferrari and now it feels to me like a second family.

"I have the utmost faith in the men and women who work in Maranello and in those who lead them: it is therefore natural for me to decide to extend my relationship in the long term like this, with a team at which I will no doubt end my Formula 1 career one day."

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Jim McGill