Alonso: Fighting for the title is my goal

Fernando Alonso is convinced he faces another nail-biting fight for the Formula One World title this season

Alonso was pipped at the death last year by Sebastian Vettel, with the Spaniard denied a third world crown by a bungled call from his Ferrari team in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

That mistake, viewed from the pitwall by Ferraro president Luca di Montezemolo who believed the title was his team's for the taking, sparked a pointed message from the 63-year-old earlier this year.

On the day Ferrari's new car was unveiled, di Montezemolo said: "This car was created with a very simple aim, and it is so simple I don't want to say it - we just have to achieve it."

As far as di Montezemolo is concerned, nothing less than the world title will do this year, ensuring the pressure is on Alonso, Felipe Massa and the rest of the team.

Alonso, speaking ahead of this Sunday's season-opening grand prix in Australia, said: "If you race for Ferrari there is no other goal than fighting for the World Championship.

"That is the history of Ferrari, the power of Ferrari. This team and its history is about passion, motor racing and about winning.

"That is our aim, that is our goal for the 2011 campaign, trying to fight for the World Championship.

"At the end you can win, you can lose. It depends how competitive you are. It depends on many other factors as well.

"But we need to be there, and I am sure we will be until the last moment."

For now, Alonso simply intends to be firmly in the hunt throughout the opening few races in order to build a solid platform on which to build the remainder of his season.

"Right now it's impossible to determine the order or say who is competitive and who isn't before race one," said Alonso.

"On paper there are five, six teams capable of winning races and to fight for the championship.

"After three or four races you see maybe only two or three can really fight for the Championship.

"The important thing for each team, and for us especially, is to do well and be competitive in these first three races, to be in that smaller group of two or three teams.

"But at the moment everything is very open."

Source: Planet-F1