Fernando Alonso is refusing to celebrate defending his Formula One world title despite Michael Schumacher conceding defeat following the Japanese Grand Prix.
Alonso won after an engine failure forced Schumacher to retire while in the lead 17 laps from the finish, a result that moves the Spaniard 10 points clear at the top of the drivers' standings with just one race remaining.
That leaves the Renault ace needing to score just a single point at Brazil in two weeks' time to record back-to-back championship triumphs, but Alonso knows that, due to the unpredictable nature of the sport, nothing is guaranteed.
'I think it's a little bit too early to realise what happened, it was a complete surprise for us,' said Alonso of yesterday's win, his first in Japan and first since the Canadian Grand Prix in June.
'But for sure the same thing can happen in Brazil and you lose everything, so as we thought the championship would be decided in Brazil.
'We now have a much better position than before, because when we were on equal points we needed to beat Michael, we needed to beat Ferrari and this is not easy, to approach the weekend with that pressure.
'Now we only need to win a few points and this becomes a little easier, but you need to finish the race and this is sometimes unfortunately not the case, for mechanical problems, for bad luck, for an accident, for a spin and you put the tyres on the gravel.
'You never know what is going to happen in the race. We need to go there and have maximum concentration, maximum professionalism and try to do it.'
Alonso's win was against the odds after Ferrari and Toyota - both carrying Bridgestone tyres - had dominated the qualifying session on Saturday and looked set to run away with the win.
But Schumacher's engine failure and a slow puncture for Felipe Massa severely hampered the Ferraris and gave Alonso an unexpected 10 points.
'When you win it is a really happy moment and this victory is even better because it was a complete surprise because we never thought at any moment that we could fight for victory,' he said.
'So, to win this race, it was something more. It means a lot to the team, the Michelin guys and the people who have supported me in the last four months, which were not so good.'
