Alonso indifferent to Valencia news

(GMM) He is almost solely responsible for F1's popularity boom in Spain, but Fernando Alonso on Thursday seemed indifferent to the concept of a second grand prix in his home country next year.

Reporters at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya asked the reigning world champion what he thought of the newly announced deal for a European GP in the port city of Valencia.

"For me it doesn't make a huge different whether I take an aeroplane to Valencia or to Italy, even though it is good for Spanish motor sport," the news agency Sport-Informations-Dienst quoted Alonso, 25, as saying.

Probably on the grounds of safety, the McLaren driver even questioned the logic of organising a street race instead of using the nearby permanent Ricardo Tormo circuit, which is regularly used for F1 testing.

"It is a little difficult for me to understand," Alonso added.