Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso declared himself 100 percent confident about his Formula One championship chances on Sunday despite having his overall lead cut to eight points in Brazil with one race remaining.
“I just need to finish second,” said the 29-year-old Spaniard, who won his first two titles with Renault and can become Formula One’s youngest triple champion in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
“It doesn’t matter who wins in Abu Dhabi if I finish second. So the main goal for us is to be on pole on Saturday and to win the race on Sunday. If we cannot do that, because we are not quick enough, we try to be second.
“With that, the problem is finished.”
Alonso finished third at Interlagos, leaving Australian Mark Webber eight points adrift with his race-winning Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel 15 off the lead.
Red Bull have it in their control to dictate the championship outcome if Vettel and Webber are again running first and second in Abu Dhabi, with a switch in placings ensuring the Australian the title.
However, Alonso, who gained seven crucial points in July when Ferrari ordered Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa to let him pass and win in Germany, will be champion if he finishes as low as fourth and Vettel wins.
“We will see what happens,” he said. “We saw today how very easy things can change.
“With a safety car in the late part of the race, maybe some people change tyres, some others not, so if you make the wrong decision at the wrong moment you find yourself eighth or ninth and the championship is over.
“We need to go to Abu Dhabi very concentrated, very focused. It is going to be a stressful weekend for all of us but this is Formula One and anything can happen next weekend,” added Alonso.
“For me, we will start from zero and see who does a better job in seven days’ time.”