阿隆索大拇指獲千萬歐元保險
Double world champion Fernando Alonso gave a 10 million euro ($13.33 million) thumbs-up to future Formula One success with Ferrari Monday.
Team sponsors Santander said they had insured the Spaniard's thumbs for five million each as part of a publicity campaign for accident and life insurance ahead of next week's Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
"Alonso's thumbs are a symbol, as well as being essential for driving a Formula One car, in that they make a sign of victory and show that everything is under control and well protected," the bank said in a statement.
Alonso, who joined Ferrari this season after winning championships with Renault, told a news conference in Madrid that he hoped the first European race of the season would reinforce his title challenge.
The Spaniard, winner of the Bahrain season-opener, is third overall after four races.
"The time has come to show who is up for winning the championship and who is not. Now in Europe the moment of truth has arrived for drivers and teams who are going to show who is able to develop quickest," said Alonso.
"A nice fight is starting," he added.
Alonso said he was not worried about his Ferrari engine after suffering a failure in Friday practice at the last race in China.
"I'm sure we will have a great car in Barcelona and I am not worried," he added. "The Ferrari mechanics are very confident that they have resolved the problems and I hope the fans have a fantastic time and there is a great atmosphere as ever."
兩屆世界一級方程式賽車（F1）冠軍、法拉利車手費爾南多•阿隆索於本週一（在參加贊助商的活動時）對法拉利車隊未來的表現十分有信心，並高高豎起了他的大拇指，而他的這一豎價值達千萬歐元（1333萬美元）。
法拉利車隊贊助商桑坦德集團稱，他們爲這位西班牙車手的兩隻大拇指各提供了一份500萬歐元的保險，這也是該集團在將於下週在巴塞羅那舉行的西班牙大獎賽之前對意外傷害和人身險推廣活動的一部分。
這家銀行在一份聲明中說：“阿隆索的拇指是一個重要的標誌，除駕駛F1賽車外，它還是勝利的標誌，表明一切盡在掌控之中，各方面保護完好。”
阿隆索曾代表雷諾車隊獲得F1大獎賽冠軍，並於本賽季轉會法拉利車隊。他在馬德里的一個新聞發佈會上表示，希望本賽季在歐洲的首站比賽能增強他的奪冠優勢。
這位西班牙車手是巴林站揭幕賽的冠軍，四站比賽過後，他在積分榜上暫列第三。
阿隆索說：“現在到了一決勝負的時刻。回到了歐洲賽場，就到了各車手和車隊展現自己實力的關鍵時刻。”
他說：“一場大戰即將上演。”
阿隆索表示自己並不擔心法拉利賽車的引擎問題。在上週五（4月16日）F1中國站的自由練習賽中，阿隆索的車出現了故障。
他說：“我確信在巴塞羅那站的比賽中賽車一定會很棒，我一點兒也不擔心。法拉利的機械師們很有信心，他們已經排除了故障。我希望車迷們能看到一場精彩的比賽，氣氛一定會像以往一樣火爆。”
Vocabulary:
thumbs-up：an act, instance, or gesture of assent, approval, or the like（翹拇指，表示贊成或滿意）
Spaniard：a native or inhabitant of Spain（西班牙人）
season-opener：賽季揭幕戰
the moment of truth：關鍵時刻
