Alonso plans to leave Raikkonen in his slipstream

FERNANDO ALONSO needs just four points more than rival Kimi Raikkonen in this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix to end world champion Michael Schumacher’s reign at the pinnacle of Formula One.

Alonso closed on the title in Italy last weekend when he extended his lead over Raikkonen to 27 points, leaving Schumacher out of the running and putting himself tantalisingly close to becoming the sport’s youngest ever champion.

But the 24-year-old Spaniard, who has won six times so far this year, is still taking it one race at a time.