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Alonso a 'key factor' in 2012 title chase - Horner

Fernando Alonso currently leads the drivers' standings by three points © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Christian Horner
• |
• Sebastian Vettel
• |
• Mark Webber

• Teams:
• Ferrari
• |
• Red Bull

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has tipped Fernando Alonso to stay in the fight for this year's drivers' title until the very end of the season.

Red Bull drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber are currently tied on points behind Alonso after the Ferrari driver has overcome the early-season deficiencies of his car to score consistent points. Ferrari now appear to have corrected the major problems with the F2012 and Horner is expecting Alonso to be one one of Red Bull's main rivals for the rest of the season.

"It's immensely tight," he said after the Monaco Grand Prix. "You've got Fernando three points ahead of our two drivers, who are now tied. It's so open at the moment, you've got six or seven drivers that are all in serious contention."

Asked if his drivers might be at a disadvantage because they will be battling against each other while Alonso's team-mate Massa is struggling for points, Horner said: "I think our guys haven't been taking points off each other, they were first and fourth today and they're free to race. Fernando's driven very well and he's going to be a key factor all the way through this championship, for sure."

Red Bull lead the constructors' championship by 38 points after scoring 62 more points than closest rivals McLaren in the last three races. In Monaco both Red Bulls finished ahead of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, but Horner has no doubt that McLaren will find their form again soon.

"This weekend hasn't been a great weekend for them, but as we've seen, form has see-sawed [this season]," he said. "Let's not forget that Pastor Maldonado lapped us two weeks ago. It would be foolish to discount a team of the quality of McLaren or Ferrari."

Looking ahead to the next race in Canada, Horner said Red Bull has unfinished business after Vettel lost the lead to Button on the final lap last year.

"In Canada last year we came within a lap of winning that race after it went on for about four or five hours, so it would be great to go back and put that right. Montreal, horsepower is crucial there, it's as different from Monaco as you can possibly get, it always produces great races so we will go there and attack the weekend as best we can. Who knows how competitive we will be."

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