Formula One: Ferrari still not the favourite team for the championship – Fernando Alonso
The new championship leader Fernando Alonso is thinks that Red Bull still has an edge in the title chase and expects the battle to go down to the wire at the final grand prix that is expected to take place in Abu Dhabi.
Alonso flew to the top of the drivers’ standings after winning the Korean Grand Prix this past weekend and took a major point advantage since both Red Bull drivers retired. This meant that Alonso scored the maximum points while both of the Red Bull drivers had to leave the track pointless. Fernando is currently leading Mark Webber by 11 points, Lewis Hamilton by 21, while Sebastian Vettel is 25 points adrift of the championship leader.
However, if Alonso manages to win the upcoming Brazilian grand prix and Mark Webber finishes lower than the fifth place, then the Australian driver will have to kiss his title hopes good bye. However, the two time world champion said that he is not calculating the championship mathematically.
“Yes, that's true - and if Red Bull miss their plane to Brazil, that's another way to be champion. The odds remain in favour of Red Bull. In Korea I have only guaranteed to be fighting in Abu Dhabi in the last race of the season,” he joked.
Alonso stated that he still needs more performance from his Ferrari in order to challenge the Red Bulls in a straight fight. Ferrari has been just outstanding in the second half of the Formula 1 world championship. Fernando has won 3 out of the past four races but Red Bull has also been quite consistent. One has to admit that Red Bull has been the best team no matter what the conditions are and Fernando hopes to keep his eyes open for the future in order to secure the maximum possible points.
“Red Bull showed us again in Korea that they are stronger than us, and that will be the same in Brazil and Abu Dhabi as well. So what we need is another small step forward to be competitive. We must be on the podium,” the Ferrari driver told a newspaper.
However, Fernando is not relying on his luck in the final two races and he hopes to score the best possible result using his driving skills rather than the conditions that the teams are forced to face at the final two venues.
“If someone beats us now, congratulations -- winning or losing will depend on who is faster, on reliability and on luck,” he added.
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