Alonso: I Beat Kimi in a Slower Car
Renault's Fernando Alonso said on Friday he had nothing to prove after winning this year's world title in Formula One's second quickest car
The Spaniard has won six races in 2005, one fewer than McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, but he bristled when asked if he was under pressure to match the Finn's total by winning Sunday's season-ending Chinese Grand Prix.
"I'm just extremely happy to win the Championship with the second quickest car," said the 24-year-old Alonso, who became the youngest World Champion in Formula One history last month.
"It doesn't happen very often but I did it. McLaren are much stronger so I'm more than happy."
Alonso added: "I don't care about seven wins. I hope to win many Championships with no wins at all."
Raikkonen stormed to victory in Japan last week to give McLaren their sixth straight win and ensure the battle for the constructors' title went down to the final race in Shanghai.
Renault have 176 points to McLaren's 174.
However, Alonso dismissed talk that he and Raikkonen were set to develop one of the great rivalries in Formula One.
"Last year we saw a good battle between (Ferrari drivers) Michael (Schumacher) and (Rubens) Barrichello," said Alonso, who was fourth quickest in Friday's afternoon practice.
"Kimi was (seventh) in the Championship and nobody talked about him. This year he has the quickest car, he won seven races and everybody is talking about him. Next year, who knows?"
"It can be (Jenson) Button, it can be someone else," he continued.
"There are four or five drivers now who are very young and can be in Formula One for many years. So if we have the right car we will be fighting (each other) but I don't think it will just be Kimi and me. It can be anyone."
Alonso also refused to write off Schumacher's chances of making a strong return after the seven-times World Champion's frustrating season in 2005.
"The Ferrari was not very competitive this year for him and he was not able to fight for the Championship," he said.
"But as soon as he has an equal car to everybody he will be really, really hard to beat again and he will come back strongly next year, I hope."
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| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Fernando Alonso |
| Author | Alaistar Himmer |
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