of the 2016 season, but will await the results of (Fridays) surgery before making a fin

MONZA, Italy -- Fernando Alonso has predicted McLaren can finish 2016 on the tail of Red Bull due to the type of circuits on the calendar after this weekends Italian Grand Prix.?Alonso recorded an impressive drive to seventh from the back row the grid in Belgium, capitalising on early chaos but also displaying genuine pace later in the race. Afterwards the Spaniard said such a strong result at Spa would have been unthinkable earlier in the season, while Honda said the race confirmed recent progress.Though he is expecting a tough race in Monza, the most power dependent circuit on the calendar, Alonso has high hopes for the subsequent races.?Well, I think it was good progress, Alonso said in reference to the Spa result. Obviously we stayed away from trouble at the first corner and then all the things that happened in the first couple of laps happened in the first couple of laps just happened in front of us. It was part of luck, lets say, that recovery, and part staying calm.We had a clear instruction from the team that we have two sets of medium tyres which most people didnt have, so to take advantage of that strategy we had to run very long the first stint. To run very long first stint is not to break the nose at the start! So we were very calm in the first couple of laps and it payed off with the red flag. But even without the red flag I think we were in the points anway.A good recovery and hopefully we can start a little higher up but this is the most difficult race of the year for us despite recent progress. I think we are still struggling here a lot. After this one, from Singapore onwards, we will enjoy these coming races because I think this car is capable of getting both McLarens into Q3 and in the points from now on.Asked if that was confirmation McLaren was moving forward, Alonso simply said: No, I think the biggest confirmation will come soon.When asked if he meant Singapore, the twisty street circuit which should hide any lingering Honda power deficit and emphasise McLarens belief in its own chassis, Alonso insisted it would be more than one race.Not only Singapore, I think Suzuka, Austin, and especially Abu Dhabi, I think will be very good. Even last year we expected a lot in Singapore and we were OK but we were not as good as Austin and especially Abu Dhabi. For whatever reason Abu Dhabi was really strong for us last year so I think it imagine this year we can really enjoyed it.Alonso was then asked how good he expected to be in those races, he said: Lets try to be just behind Red Bull.Fredy Guarin Colombia Jersey . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. Andres Felipe Roa Colombia Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.nationalcolombiafootball.com/cristian-bonilla-colombia-jersey/ . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Sebastian Perez Jersey . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. James Rodriguez Jersey . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots went back to practice without Rob Gronkowski on Friday as the 2015 All-Pro tight end prepared for season-ending back surgery.It didnt look much different than a lot of their workouts this season.Weve had some experience I think this year being without him, quarterback Tom Brady said a day after the team announced that Gronkowski is expected to miss the rest of the season recovering from a herniated disk in his back. Its not something that you want to deal with. But at some point in the year, based on how long the season is, youre always going to deal with something.One of the dominant tight ends in NFL history, Gronkowskis biggest struggle is often to stay on the field. He has had ankle and knee surgery once, three operations on his forearm, and two previous back operations. He was the 2014 Comeback Player of the Year, a year after he played in just seven games because of injuries to his back, forearm and knee.The 2010 second-round draft pick has already missed three weeks this season and had a limited role in three others -- the fifth year in a row that he hasnt been able to play in every game.Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Friday he is disappointed for Gronkowski, praising his work and his contributions to the team. Brady made it clear that he still has plenty of targets for this weekends game against the Los Angeles Rams, even without the three-time All-Pro.Weve still got a lot of good players, Brady said. Well keep battling without him. Weve got a llot of tough guys in the locker room still, and well see what we can make of this season.dddddddddddd We were off to a good start and weve got to keep it going.After spending the first half of the season on the injury report with a hamstring problem, Gronkowski was hurt again on Nov. 13. He took a shot in the chest from Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas that Gronkowski said was probably one of the hardest Ive got hit in my career. He missed the Nov. 20 game against San Francisco; when he returned last week against the New York Jets, he left late in the first quarter with a back injury.He did not practice this week.On Thursday, the team and Gronkowskis family issued a joint statement saying the hit in the Seattle game resulted in a pulmonary contusion to his lung, but doctors cleared him to return. Against the Jets, though, Rob began to experience significant back and leg pain.It has been determined that it is in Robs best long-term interest to undergo surgery to address his lower back injury, the statement said. We do not expect that he will be able to play for the remainder of the 2016 season, but will await the results of (Fridays) surgery before making a final determination.One Gronkowski returned to the Patriots when the team re-signed fullback Glenn, Robs brother, to the practice squad.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '