Raikkonen alarm for Alonso

FERNANDO ALONSO is starting to show the first signs of worry as the Formula One title race heads into the finishing straight.

Renault ace Alonso has seen a 36-point lead whittled down to 24 following back-to-back victories for championship rival Kimi Raikkonen in the last two grands prix in Hungary and Turkey.

Of great concern to Alonso is the fact the McLaren was almost a second quicker per lap than his Renault in Istanbul 11 days ago, conceding with added frustration his car is now on the limit.

With five races remaining, starting this Sunday with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the 24-year-old Spaniard is concerned he may not beat Raikkonen again this season.

“The McLarens have been quicker than us since the fourth race of the season at Imola, so it’s no surprise they are still faster now,” said Alonso

“But Monza is special as there aren’t many corners and we’ve good straight line speed, so I think we can be closer to them this weekend - I just don’t know how much closer.

“I really don’t think we can improve, certainly not enough to beat them, because the development of the car is on the limit.

“We did our best at the beginning of the season, but from Imola we have been a little bit behind, and then in Turkey we were eight or nine tenths behind the McLarens.

“So we need to find some advantage in our strategy, or some good laps in qualifying, something like that if we want to beat them.

“I know in Turkey we did our best, yet we were much slower than them.”

Alonso ended up with a fortuitous second place on that occasion after Raikkonen’s team-mate, Juan Pablo Montoya, ran wide on the penultimate lap to allow the Renault through.

The Spaniard is adamant he is not about to turn defensive in a bid to preserve his lead as he added: “If we try to defend and finish fourth or fifth every race we will have problems.

“We have to approach a weekend thinking we can beat McLaren, thinking we can be on pole on Saturday and on top of the podium on Sunday.

“Sometimes it won’t be possible, like in Turkey, where we were happy with third place at one stage, and then even more happy with second after what happened to Juan Pablo.

“On the Thursday in Turkey I thought it was possible to win, but then when I knew it would not be possible, I had to race intelligently, thinking about the championship and being sure of third place or second.”

For Alonso, his saving grace is he feels Raikkonen will not finish the remaining five grands prix of the year due to their infamous unreliability and that he will win at least one more race this season.

“Kimi will not finish all the remaining races - but then neither will I, nor Giancarlo (Fisichella), Michael (Schumacher) or either of the Williams,” insisted Alonso.

“Throughout the championship it’s been difficult to finish five races in-a-row, or seven as it would be for Kimi because he has won the last two.

“Which is why I think it’s possible to win at least one more race, even though in these last five races the McLaren will be a little bit quicker - but many things are involved in achieving a victory.”