Jul.23 (GMM) Italy's fickle but usually patriotic press has sided with Fernando Alonso after the European grand prix.

The Spaniard beat Ferrari's Felipe Massa to the flag at the Nurburgring after a late wheel-banging dice, earning the description 'Super Alonso' in the famous sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Super Alonso gives Massa a lesson," said the publication, also rebuking Massa for reacting badly to McLaren driver Alonso's surly word to the Brazilian as they waited to mount the podium.

Massa, in Italian, angrily hit back at Alonso, who had accused him of deliberately making contact with his McLaren's left sidepod in the scrap for the win.

Several publications printed transcripts of their verbal quarrel, in which Massa told Alonso to "f--k off".

He said: "You have got to learn how to f--king driving properly".

La Gazzetta dello Sport observed: "No-one can justify (Massa's) exaggerated reaction to Alonso's criticism.

"Without his problems with the tyres, he probably could have held Alonso off, but one has to say that in the rain he is not the best".