Valencia thinks Alonso ban to be lifted

Organisers of the European Grand Prix are confident the ban on local hero Fernando Alonso's team Renault will be lifted before the circus converges on the Valencia city circuit later this month.

The FIA's International Court of Appeal is not due to hear the matter until Monday week, meaning whether the suspension stands or not will not be clear until mere days before the Formula One event.

Organiser Valmor Sport reacted to the ban, imposed because Renault allowed Alonso to exit the pits with a loose wheel that ultimately fell off in Hungary, by claiming it will unfairly penalise the Spaniard's supporters.

But the company's operations director Carlos Moreno-Figueroa sounds confident the 27-year-old double world champion will actually not miss the race.

"I call on all those who are doubting whether or not to buy a ticket depending on the presence of Alonso to do so, as we are being told from every side that he will be in Valencia," he is quoted as saying by the local Costa Levante News.