Fernando Alonso can clinch the Formula One title for Ferrari in Brazil on Sunday but believes the championship will go to the final race in Abu Dhabi a week later.
Alonso, who has an 11-point lead over red Bull’s Mark Webber, is now favourite for the drivers’ title. But he will need the permutations to go his way if he is to clinch a third title after 2005 and 2006 — both won with Renault at the Interlagos circuit.
“I don’t want to think about the chances of history repeating itself for a third time: I know it is theoretically possible, but that does not count for me,” Alonso said on the official Formula One website.
“We want to tackle this Grand Prix in the same way as all the others, concentrating on ourselves with our feet on the ground, trying to do a good job, without making mistakes and with the aim of beating our rivals.
“I have said it before and I say it again: we will do the maths in Abu Dhabi.” Alonso can, however, start doing a few sums, knowing he will be crowned world champion if he wins in Brazil and Webber is fifth or below.
He could also clinch the title with second-place providing Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel does not win, Webber does not finish higher than ninth and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton no higher than fourth.
Another possibility would be a third-place finish if Webber is out of the points, Hamilton is no higher than fifth and Vettel no higher than fourth.
The 29-year-old Spaniard, however, believes it will be a tight race in which the slightest mistake can wreck a driver’s hopes.
“In the last few years, Interlagos has usually produced very exciting races, partly because of the track characteristics, but also because the weather can be very changeable,” he said.
“This will be a very important factor and we will need to be ready to tackle all possible scenarios in the best way possible.
“The lap is fairly short, so we can expect closer times than usual, which means that the slightest little mistake will count even more, because one or two 10ths either way can mean having seven or eight cars in front or behind you. We will need to do everything perfectly.”
