Massa can take title lead from Hamilton

London: After being stripped of a stirring victory in Belgium, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton must fight to keep his Formula One lead in Ferrari's home race on Sunday.

Italian fans will be hoping Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who inherited the win at Spa last weekend after Hamilton was demoted to third and world champion teammate Kimi Raikkonen crashed out, can pile on the pain at Monza.

"I am really motivated to have a great race there, especially in front of all our home fans," said the Brazilian, two points adrift of Hamilton with five races left.

Last year the oldest and fastest track on the calendar effectively marked the point at which Massa had to swing behind Raikkonen's title campaign after suffering a suspension failure early in the race.

The opposite could happen on Sunday, with Raikkonen now 19 points behind Hamilton going into the final European round of the year and with his own challenge fading fast.

The Finn, without a win since the end of April, refused to give up hope however. "We'll give it all to win, for the team and for the fans," he said.

Formula One 2008

"It would be fantastic to win the Italian GP for the first time. I've got nothing to lose, so I'll give it all, going flat out."

HAMILTON FAVOURITE

If Massa scores two points more than Hamilton, he will go top on race wins (5-4 at present) -- at least until McLaren's appeal into the Spa stewards' decision is heard.

The 23-year-old Briton also has high hopes for Monza, with Mercedes-powered McLaren romping to a one-two there last year.

"It is just going to be a very tough fight," Hamilton said of the battle ahead. "But I will do everything I can to make sure I come to the next race just as strong, if not stronger.

"I know I can get stronger, so we the team is going to do that and we are going to keep on improving."

If Hamilton does win, his will be the 200th grands prix victory by a British driver.

Apart from the Ferraris, Hamilton will also have to watch out for Poland's Robert Kubica on the BMW-Sauber driver's return to the circuit where he scored his first podium in only his third race in 2006.

Kubica won in Canada in June and is now third overall, a point ahead of Raikkonen. His BMW-Sauber team mate Nick Heidfeld, second at Spa, was also quickest in testing at Monza last month.

"We have gone well at Monza in the past and hopefully it will be the same this year," said technical director Willy Rampf.

Spain's Fernando Alonso won at Monza last year for McLaren, his last victory before leaving the team and returning to Renault.

Alonso, his future still uncertain with several teams waiting for him to decide where he will be next year, has a different agenda this time as he tries to steer Renault to fourth place overall ahead of Toyota.

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