• Monaco Grand Prix

Vettel almost champion - Alonso

Sebastian Vettel was pushed all the way by Fernando Alonso until the red flag eased the pressure © Sutton Images

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• Report:
• Vettel wins Monaco thriller after late red flag
  

• Race:
• Monaco Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Sebastian Vettel

• Teams:
• Ferrari
• |
• Red Bull

Fernando Alonso has said that Sebastian Vettel is already closing in on the world championship after Vettel won the Monaco Grand Prix.

Vettel has won five of the first six grands prix to open up a 58 point lead at the top of the driver's standings - the equivalent of two wins and a sixth place. Two of the last three seasons have been secured with five victories to the champions' name, and Alonso cited Jenson Button's title in 2009 as an example that Vettel was starting to become uncatchable.

"I think we saw in the last couple of years that if you win five or six grands prix you've nearly won the championship," Alonso said. "So if you win five of the first six, you are in a very good position. There's only one occasion that (many early wins) happened, a couple of years ago with Jenson and we know Jenson's result."

Alonso said he had been preparing to make a pass on Vettel in an attempt to win the race in Monaco because he had nothing to lose, before the late red flag scuppered his chances.

"One hundred per cent I was ready to try. He was having problems with his tyres over the last 10 laps, and that was our time to attack, but the last 10 laps didn't come after the safety car. It's difficult here, there's not much space. So 50 per cent maybe you overtake, 50 per cent you crash. He's leading the world championship, so he has more to lose... So, yes, I was ready to overtake, and if we crash, then we crash."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.