Fernando Alonso insists he would have no fear if he was paired at Ferrari with F1’s new youngest world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said in recent days that the 23-year-old German will drive a red car "sooner or later", and Bild newspaper now quotes Vettel as saying a seat at the Maranello based team is a "desire and goal".
"I’m not worried about someone coming (to Ferrari) or not," the bearded Spaniard Alonso insisted in his hometown Oviedo for a charity run.
News agency EFE quotes him as insisting he has had "no problem" keeping up with teammates in F1, and that none of them have ever finished "even one point" ahead of him in the final classifications.
"I don’t have much more to say on the matter," he added. "The truth is that it wouldn’t be a problem whether Vettel or anyone else comes."
Alonso said his only focus for 2011 is Ferrari providing him with a "fast" car to mount another challenge for the title.
"I have no doubt that next year I will have the Ferrari that I want.
"Because of its prestige and pedigree, Ferrari is obligated to challenge always for the championship so I am sure I will have a car that allows me to do that.
"In late January we will present the car and in February we will test it," he announced.