Alonso says he will help Massa if possible

"Yes, no doubt, if I can help, I will help Massa," Alonso was quoted as saying by AS newspaper following his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix.

"They have lost a lot of points," added Alonso about Massa and title rival Lewis Hamilton. "After 16 races the leader has 84 points. In 2006 I had 82 in nine races.

"In this championship the drivers who are up there have scored few points. But in the end the one who makes the least errors will win. We'll see," concluded the Spaniard, who had a torrid season as Hamilton's teammate at McLaren in 2007.

Massa is five points behind Hamilton with just two races to go.

The two-time champion scored his second consecutive victory against all odds last Sunday, having also emerged on top at the Singapore Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Alonso admitted the Fuji win tasted better.

"It was a great race, especially because of the win, which was again unexpected," he said. "In Singapore there was luck involved with the safety car and with the favourites having problems, like Massa's pitstop and all that.

"Here there was nothing strange, it was a race with no safety cars and we won, so it tastes better than in Singapore."

The Renault driver said he was not sure about what to expect from the final two races of the season following his upturn in form.

But Alonso confessed his feeling is that he will be able to fight on top again.

"I don't know what to say now, I haven't thought about it yet, but my heart says that we will," the Spaniard said. "We have been fourth on the grid on a regular track.

"I'm confident for the next races. Maybe not enough about winning, but podiums are now possible. We are four tenths a lap behind Ferrari or McLaren."