Highlights

Alonso plays down chances of winning in Malaysia

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-18 19:33

SEPANG, Malaysia - Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso says he will struggle to win Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix after qualifying on the fourth row.

After winning the first race of the season in Bahrain last week, technical glitches left the Spaniard seventh on the starting grid while Renault team mate Giancarlo Fisichella grabbed pole position.

"We're not favourites, it will be difficult," said Alonso, who took the championship lead in Malaysia last year and has held it ever since.

"But we'll try to get on the podium at least and score as many points as possible and we'll see how the race develops.

"We'll have some investigations on the car, we have an electronic problem plus we had a mistake with the fuel rig and we ended up carrying more fuel than we expected," said the 24-year-old.

"There's nothing we can do about it now, we just have to see if we can use it to help us in the race.

"I think the electronic problem is easy to resolve but the fuel problem worries me more," he added. The good news was that although so many of his rivals were having engine problems in the sweltering heat, his was fine.