Formula One: Alonso defiant title bid still alive

LONDON: Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso heads home for the European Grand Prix next week still believing he has a chance of derailing runaway leader Sebastian Vettel’s charge towards a second drivers’ world championship. Ferrari’s 29-year-old Iberian ace has conceded that his prospects for a third title are not bright, but remains adamant that he will not give up hope until he is mathematically ruled out of contention. Alonso believes the title race to be alive. “No, the title is not gone because mathematically it is still alive,” said Alonso. “We have seen retirements in the past years, like Hamilton in Monza and Singapore last year. And if you win two races, and Vettel retires, the gap can close a lot. It is still close enough.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2011.