Check out a short list of favorites for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nationale di Monza in Monza, Italy.

Fernando Alonso (Spain):
The 21-year-old has been touted by some of the top teams on the circuit; became the youngest driver ever to win a F1 race at 22 years and 26 days in Grand Prix of Hungary on August 24; victory came in his 30th race and was the first for Renault in 20 years; scored 54 points in 10 of the 13 grand prixs this season; also was runner-up at home event in Barcelona, third in Brazil and Malaysia, fourth in Canada and the European GP, fifth in Monaco, sixth in San Marino and seventh in Australia; Ferrari and Benetton are the top teams after the driver; progressed from test driver at Renault last year to a full-time ride.

	Barrichello

Rubens Barrichello (Brazil):
After scoring points in eight straight races, Barrichello did not collect any at most recent stops in Germany and Hungary; 49 points earned is good for sixth place; is defending champion of the Italian GP and also was runner-up to Juan Montoya in 2001; victory this year came at the British GP in Silverstone from the pole; also finished third in four other grand prixs.

David Coulthard (Scotland):
McLaren driver is having a modest season by his standards, with only victory coming at season opener in Australia; since then, the best finish was second in Germany two races ago; victory at Monza in 1997 and fifth place in 1999 are best results at the fastest track on the circuit; only seventh in the championship standings with 45 points.

Juan Montoya (Colombia):
Run of seven straight races on the podium got him within one point (72-71) of champion Michael Schumacher with three remaining this season; started at Monaco, third in Canada, runners-up at the European GP, France and England, another win in Germany and third in the last race at Budapest; rumors in the paddock have the Colombian pursued by the McLaren team as replacement for Coulthard; still under contract with Williams BMW, for which he won the Italian GP twoyears ago, for another year.

	Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen (Finland):
Finished in points in 10 of the 13 races for total of 70 points; in the running for the title, one point behind Montoya and two back of Michael Schumacher; winner of the Malaysia stop and was runner-up five more times, including August 24 races at Budapest; not a factor in this race last year; but came close to a points finish in seventh in first year on circuit in 2001.

Michael Schumacher (Germany):
Said the championship will go down to the wire in the season's final race in Japan, and the prediction certainly looks that way; the Ferrari team is ready for its home grand prix where support of fans is tremendous; advantage in the standings has diminished to just one point over Juan Montoya and two more than Kimi Raikkonen; won three consecutive races earlier in the campaign (San Marino-Spain-Austria-) and four (Canada) this year to raise career total to 68; some struggles since the win in Canada, with highest finish in five races a third in France; won Italian Grand Prix in 2000, 1998 and 1996.

Ralf Schumacher (Germany):
The Williams BMW was hospitalized on September 2 after car spun off the track and flipped over during testing at Monza; expected to be fine for Sunday's race; recorded points finishes in the season's first 10 grand prixs, before non points in England and home race at Hockenheim; having best season of career in F1 with 58 points in fourth place; won the European GP on German soil at Nurburg on June 29; other win came in next race in France; before last year's DNF at Monza, finished on the podium in previous four years; third in 2000-01 and 1998 and second in 1999.