Alonso frustrated with Räikkönen

Fernando Alonso has questioned Kimi Raikkonen's approach during the first corner of the Japanese GP after the title winner's race-ending clash with the Lotus at Suzuka



Alonso's retirement, coupled with a dominant victory for Sebastian Vettel, has cut the Spaniard's lead to just four points with five races remaining.

The Ferrari was sent spinning into the gravel as the two former World Champions battled into the sweeping first turn.

"Well I had no space on the right, I had Button there I think, on the left I had Kimi and I don't understand why Kimi didn't lift off as there was no room out there and it was only the first corner," he told Sky Sports F1. "But that is the way it and this time it was us."

Trying to stay optimistic, Alonso added that whilst he suffered bad luck in Japan, it could easily happen to his rivals in any of the forthcoming races.

"Not really," he replied when asked if his title hopes had suffered a serious setback. "This time I retire, next time maybe it will be Vettel who will retire.

"You never know, this is motorsport. With five races to go it will be like a mini Championship. We will start with the same points and we need to score one more point in the five races than the others so we will try to do that."

Source: SkySports

Fernando Alonso frustrated as title slips away

Source: ririri074

Kimi had a lousy morning

Kimi Räikkönen seemed frustrated when leaning on his car during the early service break.

– We missed a couple of junctions. You don't really see them. So that's that, Räikkönen said explaining his sour expression.

Matthew Wilson drove clean and climbed past Räikkönen to 6th after the two first stages. The Brit is now 6,9 seconds ahead of Räikkönen before the last stage.

Citroen's Junior Team gave Räikkönen a car with too soft setups when they believed it would be raining in the morning stages.

– In splits we were already 10 seconds after Wilson when that tough junction came, it goes backwards and continues to another junction. When Kimi turned to the first junction he burned time. When the left one came a little later I think his helmet was still filled with swearing over the earlier blunder so the left one went wide too, Kaj Lindström described the events.

Latvala can only secure at this point

Jari-Matti Latvala lost to Ogier on both opening stages so now he concentrates on securing his 4th position and the 12 points.

– We keep the 4th position and see what happens in front of us. If Ogier would make a mistake I have to be ready to take advantage of it, Latvala told.

– I came well on both morning stages and the times where okay excluding Ogier. I'm still too careful in junctions and lost too much time in them.

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole