Alonso wants to withhold the pressure

Fernando Alonso has admitted he doesn't expect to become this year's Formula One World Champion this sunday at Spa-Francorchamps. The Spaniard is probably trying to repress the pressure. The last races we were able to see that the McLaren car is faster than the Renault and Alonso has accentuated this the last weeks.

Fernando Alonso has led the championship since the second round of the season. Now he has to out-score closest and only rival Kimi Raikkonen by just 4 points to claim his first world title. But
Fernando is expecting McLaren to be stronger than his Renault this weekend, as they have been for several races.

Fernando Alonso "I know it is very difficult to win the championship here because I need a Kimi retirement, basically, if I want to be a champion and I don't think that is going to happen. The McLarens are favourites to win the race so I think we will have to wait for more races. It is possible not to think about the championship and at the moment I am just concentrating on the race."

Even if Raikkonen wins every one of the remaining four races Alonso is certain he will still win if he keeps gathering points. And he believes he can do just that here Sunday.

"I think it will be good. Last year the car was good here but we didn't finish. This year we are much more competitive, the podium is our target for this weekend and I am quite confident.
I don't feel any more pressure. I have been leading the championship from the second race and I keep doing the best job possible at every race. I think every race is important and we have to finish on the podium at every race. We are fighting both championships now, drivers and constructors, and now we are so close to the finish, four races to go, I will keep the same confidence and motivation when I arrive at races as always."

The Finn, Kimi Raikkonen, knows that his task seems impossible but as always he's saying that he and his team haven't givin up yet.
"We haven't given up but everyone knows it is not going to be easy without any problems for Renault. Even if we win the last races it is not going to happen."

Raikkonen and Alonso are the two adherents of Michael Schumacher. The time of autocracy in F1 seems to be over.
Although there is a lot of competition between the two new princes of F1, Fernando and Kimi maintained their friendly relationship. The pair knows one another since they were karting as children and they have always showed respect for each other.
Fernando Alonso "I have always had a good relationship with Kimi and we have a lot of respect for each other. We raced in go-karts a couple of times, but in different categories because I think Kimi is one year older than me. The last time we spoke about this is a long time ago probably, in a room together, but we always say hello and bye and I think there's a lot of respect. I am really happy to fight with Kimi this year."

Kimi Raikkonen "It is a good relationship between us but we don't know much about each other, apart from racing. We are not the closest friends but we have good respect for each other, which is the main thing."