• Brazilian Grand Prix - Qualifying

Alonso eyes 'chaotic race' to help chances

ESPN Staff
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Fernando Alonso has to finish on the podium to have any chance of winning the title © Press Association
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Fernando Alonso says he needs "some chaotic race" to help his championship challenge after qualifying seventh for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

While rain fell before the qualifying session, all drivers were able to run on slick tyres and the track had dried fully by Q3. As a result, Alonso was only able to qualify in seventh place after Pastor Maldonado was penalised for missing a call in to the weighbridge while title rival Sebastian Vettel is fourth on the grid and only requires a top four finish to win the championship. Alonso admitted that a wet race may help his cause, but that his best chance of winning the title is if the race is "chaotic".

"I think we need some chaotic race in a way to mix up the positions a little bit etc," Alonso said. "Maybe rain can help but we never know. I think we need to push the maximum, to enjoy tomorrow's race and try to be on the podium."

While team-mate Felipe Massa outqualified him by 0.3s, Alonso said he had no problems during his qualifying session.

"Nothing happened; happy with the lap, happy with how qualifying went. We were seventh in Abu Dhabi, we were ninth in USA, we are eighth here (before Maldonado's penalty) so no surprises with that. We finished on the podium in the last races starting from those positions so hopefully tomorrow we can repeat that performance on Sunday and be on the podium."

Alonso also denied that he had gone for a wet set-up during qualifying.

"Not really. These days the wet or dry set-ups are dominated by the aerodynamics so you can change the level of downforce but here because you run the maximum downforce in the dry in the wet there is no big change. In the results today I don't think anyone gambled today focusing on tomorrow's rain and the same for us."

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