Korea Gp : Fernando Alonso Thursday press conference

Question: Can you tell us the importance of a good result this week-end? 

Fernando Alonso: "I think that we need the points this weekend, but the situation will be the same for all the drivers, so it's not so severe as that.

Question: You must do this for the last five races. 

Fernando Alonso: "I think we knew it would be difficult from the beginning of the season so nothing changed for the five final races, we must do what we have already done so far. I think that it is almost a perfect Championship with good separations, strategic choices and a good approach to racing. We always maximized what we had in the hands with only two problems at Spa and Suzuka but things were not related to our team , so I think that we should not change our approach." 

Question: Your team provided updates and do you think that this will be enough to fight against the Red Bull? 

Fernando Alonso: "we have many changes and it is obvious that we will try to put them in place just four days after Suzuka so we will try to have the best possible car for this race and be competitive, I am pretty confident." 

We were more or less fast during the last eight races, we were not the fastest but probably enough to fight for the podium, I do not think that here will be really different."

Question: Do you think that Raikkonen owes you an apology? 

Fernando Alonso: "no because it was at the start of the race and Suzuka first turns are tight and that's the problem of starting in the middle of the group, I had Button on my right and Raikkonen on my left, it cannot slip away." It's a shame because I struck the front wing of Raikkonen which punctured my rear tyre and after I could no longer roll, I do not think that it was his fault, there are five races and everything can happen to others." 

Question: With only four points, you can no longer manage, should your strategic approach change for the last races? Will you attack more? 

Fernando Alonso: "we have been in great struggle in all the races, we fought the most of our opportunities. Sometimes we were on the podium, occasionally 4th or 5th and this will not change now. As I said, we have lost many points in the last four races with abandon at Spa, and I could not do anything and at Monza my problem in Q3 and I left tenth at Suzuka, we had a puncture at the beginning, from the first corner. We really lost a lot of points, I think that it is unfortunate situations. Things can change quickly , there are ups and downs. We hope that our bad run will end and we will now attack a good race until the end of the Championship series." 

Question: As you like cycling, what are scandals affecting Lance Armstrong have touched you in your love for this sport? 

Fernando Alonso: "I love cycling, I love bikes and Armstrong was much stronger than the others, a kind of Idol for many people and target for the media. Apart of that he will stay a model for many people." 

Question: The chances of Lewis Hamilton seem to decrease, what is your opinion? 

Fernando Alonso: "I do not know how many points he has but he's behind and I think it will be more difficult for him because now there's not only a single driver to handle and it should make up many points. We are two pilots in mind and he is behind, that diminishes his chances. If we look at the performance of McLaren and the number of remaining races, I think that there's still every chance."