Alonso hungry for more success

Fernando Alonso is enjoying life as world champion so much he is already plotting his title defence next season.

The Spaniard became the youngest world champion in Formula One history when he finished third in Brazil two weeks ago, ending Kimi Raikkonen’s chances.

The 24-year-old has hardly been living the high life since confirmation of his championship, entertaining family and friends at his Oxford home, but he wants to experience the thrill of the championship chase again next year.

“We won the championship but Formula One is different every year and I think next year will be a new challenge and motivation with the new rules,” said Alonso, preparing for his first race as world champion, in Japan this weekend.

“Hopefully we can maintain this level and fight for the title. What we have done is fantastic for Renault and for me but life keeps going.

“I hope to fight again for the title. This year was so exciting for me, all the races. The only difference from other seasons was that I was leading the championship.

“Next year we want to fight to the last races with options for the championship but if we can win then that is even better.”

Alonso concedes he is only interested in winning and cannot see himself racing for another decade if he is not in a position to fight for world championships.

However, the Renault driver hopes to inflict the same kind o misery on his rivals as Michael Schumacher, now 36, has done over the past decade.

“I have learned when you have a good car you can win,” he added. “I fought two years ago with a good car and won the Hungarian Grand Prix and finished sixth in championship. Last year the car was very hard to drive and I still finished fourth.

“I was missing something to win the championship and now I have the answer - you have to have a good car and a good team.

“You need to have a good car to keep the motivation that Michael has had all his career. With Ferrari he found a good motivation and when they put everything together and started winning races and championships it is impossible to stop because you enjoy it so much.

“I think that if this happened to us, it would be not difficult to keep going for so many years but if you have six or seven years with not the best car and you cannot win I think you retire a little bit earlier than him.”

Alonso is still on a high after his first week as a world champion, even though a quiet week in Oxford will never rival the most raucous of title-winning parties.

He added: “It has been great. It is a dream come true. I have enjoyed it so much this week.

“I did nothing special but just enjoyed it and remembered all the moments in this season and all my career.

“I was in Oxford all week, my family came there and at the weekend some friends came also. Nothing really changes. We did a good job this season.”

Alonso may have seen off Raikkonen’s challenge this season when the Finn had a superior car at his disposal, but the Spaniard may have to face his rival in a Ferrari in the future.

Raikkonen has been strongly linked with a big-money move to Ferrari in 2007, with some claiming a contract has already been signed, and the 25-year-old did little to silence the rumours when given the opportunity today.

“They’re not new rumours, they are already three years old,” he said at Suzuka. “But of course now everyone knows that my contract is only to next year with McLaren so maybe it becomes more exciting to write those rumours.

“But the fact is that I have a contract next year and I am happy with the team.

“For sure the car will also be good next year and I don’t see any reason to go anywhere else. Okay, after next year we will see again.”