Alonso says the pressure is on rivals

KUALA LUMPAR – Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso says he does not feel under any pressure as a result of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton narrowing his championship lead.

Friday, September 21, 2012

KUALA LUMPAR – Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso says he does not feel under any pressure as a result of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton narrowing his championship lead.Hamilton’s win in Italy two weeks ago moved him to second in the standings, 37 points behind Alonso, with 175 available in the remaining seven races."I’m not under pressure at all. I’m probably the only one who can afford a mistake or a retirement,” Alonso said. "The others cannot, so I think it is much more pressure [for them].”Ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, Alonso and Hamilton are the only two drivers to win three races this season, but Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen, Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull’s Mark Webber are all tightly packed behind the Englishman and in the championship hunt.McLaren have won the last three races, with Hamilton’s victories in Hungary and Italy sandwiching Jenson Button’s in Belgium, where Alonso was taken out in a first-corner collision.Ferrari, like all the top teams, are introducing a series of new components at this race and Alonso is confident he can fight for pole position and victory at this race and the subsequent events in Japan and Korea next month.