Alonso closes in on second title as Schumacher curses luck

Oct 9, 2006, 15:45 GMT

Hamburg - Fernando Alonso only needs to finish in the top eight at the final Formula One grand prix of the season in Brazil on October 22 to beat off the challenge of rival Michael Schumacher and seal a second successive drivers' title.

Alonso's seventh victory of the season in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka moved the Renault driver 10 points clear of Ferrari's Schumacher, who failed to finish after suffering his first engine- related failure in a race since the 2000 French GP.

Not surprisingly, the Spanish media were in an upbeat mood after the weekend's events.

  'Alonso has the key to the title in his hand,' wrote Monday's Marca newspaper while As said victory this season would be of greater value than last year.

'This time, he has had to deal with a super champion like Michael Schumacher, who has battled him for the title until the last moment,' wrote As.

Seven-time champion Schumacher, who retires at the end of the season, appeared to have everything under control in Suzuka, leading the race from the start and withstanding a determined challenge from Alonso.

But his dreams of an unprecedented eighth title were dealt an almost fatal blow when forced to retire with just 16 laps remaining.

'Despite the deficit, we want to do everything possible in Brazil to win the title,' said a still upbeat Schumacher on his internet site Monday.

'Every one of us has worked incredibly hard and well in recent months. We managed to turn around what seemed a hopeless situation in the world championship - and this after as disastrous a year as 2005. For this reason, you can only be disappointed initially,' said the 37-year-old German.

'What matters is the application and the quality of work and we certainly can't fault ourselves there. You can't always win and things can't always go as you'd like.'