Emotional Alonso Short on Words

McLaren's Juan Pablo Montoya won the race for the second year in a row while teammate Kimi Raikkonen, the only man who could have put off Alonso's title celebrations, finished runner-up.

Montoya said he would have let Raikkonen win had it helped the Finn's title chances but Alonso needed just six points to follow Ferrari's Michael Schumacher as champion and it was clear he was going to get them.

Starting on pole position, thanks to a lighter fuel load than the McLarens, he soon relinquished the lead to Montoya and settled down comfortably in third after the first pitstop.

McLaren could at least savour a first one-two finish in more than five years, taking the lead in the Constructors' Championship into the bargain, but the real celebrations were at Renault.

Third place left Alonso with an unassailable lead of 23 points with two races remaining, making him his country's first Formula One champion.

"Of course, it is impossible to say anything now," Alonso said after the race. "I am extremely happy and it is a big day for me. I did a good race, I thought we would fight McLaren but it was not possible. It was a very long race for me, obviously.

"I thought about the Championship from the first lap, to be honest, but the race had a few different parts and my team told me the last three or four laps might even be rain."

Alonso was thankful to his followers, which celebrated the title on the streets of Oviedo as soon as the Renault driver was crowned.

"I think I came from a country with no traditions in Formula One and I fought alone, basically, because I had no help from anyone," the Spaniard added. "I got into Formula One thanks to the results and this is the maximum I can achieve in my life.

"It's a very important day for me, for my family, for all my friends. We have always fought to reach this goal, and winning the title is the biggest achievement I'll ever get in my life, and it has come now. I want to thank all the fans and the whole Spain."