Ferrari driver wants to deny Vettel the chance of settling title
Last Updated: September 24, 2011 7:38pm
Alonso: starts fifth in Singapore
Fernando Alonso is convinced he can finish on the podium in the Singapore Grand Prix to deny Sebastian Vettel the chance of retaining the World Championship this weekend.
Vettel clinched his 11th pole position of the season at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Saturday and is now within touching distance of back-to-back titles.
However, should Alonso finish second or third in Singapore then Vettel will have to wait until the Japanese Grand Prix in a fortnight's time for another chance to settle matters.
Alonso qualified fifth in his Ferrari and has a McLaren wall in front of him because behind an all-Red Bull front row lie Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in third and fourth.
If the Spaniard is to maintain the run which has seen him finish in the top three in five of the last six races, F1's last double world champion will require another strong drive at a circuit where he has won twice since the inaugural Singapore GP was held in 2008.
"I think that might have been my best Q3 lap of the whole year," said a relatively happy Alonso.
"If I was in front of Hamilton and Button it would be a completely different story, but that's how it turned out and there's no point saying we were unlucky.
"I am convinced a podium finish is within our reach. Usually, we go better in the race than in qualifying and there is no reason why that should not be the case here.
"We will try and make up some places at the start, even if at this track there is not much of a run from the start line to the first corner.
"Then we will make the most of our strategy and any eventual tyre degradation.
"This is a very hard race for the mechanical parts of the car and the safety car is usually involved.
"We will see what happens, but I say it again, I am confident in our chances of getting to the podium."
Untouchable
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali, meanwhile, was left marvelling at another dominant display by Vettel who finished a third of a second up on Webber.
Behind the 24-year-old German, Webber, Button, Hamilton and Alonso were separated by just 0.142secs.
"This qualifying mirrors the championship," said Domenicali.
"There is a driver and car combination that is all but untouchable, and then four drivers fighting it out to the nearest hundredth of a second.
"It is the same four who can be found battling for second place in the classification.
"Clearly, we are a bit disappointed today because Fernando came very close to getting a slot on the front row.
"But we must accept the reality of the situation, without beating ourselves up about it."
Credit: Sky Sports (www.skysports.com)
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