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Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button refuse to write off season

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso insists there is still plenty to race for in the remainder of this season despite Sebastian Vettel’s world title victory.

The Spaniard took a fighting second place to McLaren’s Jenson Button in Japan as Red Bull’s Vettel wrapped up the championship with third place.

But Alonso said: “We [still] have a lot of motivation. Why not fight for victory in one of the remaining races?”

Button agreed: “There’s more to come. We’re going to go for a few more wins.”

Button’s victory in Suzuka – his third of the season – was not enough to deny Vettel a second successive drivers’ title, but it does take him eight points clear of Alonso in the race for second in the championship.

The win came as a result of a marked upturn in form for McLaren, who were enjoying the benefit of a new rear wing introduced two weeks ago in Singapore, where Button was second to Vettel.

Button missed out on pole position to Vettel by just 0.009 seconds – and he is confident he now has a car that can challenge at the front.

“This [winning Grands Prix] is going to happen a few more times this year I hope,” Button said.

“The championship’s won but the season isn’t over. We’re going to go for a few more wins this year – and if we do that it will give us the best platform from which to push on next season.”

And Alonso, whose fantastic drive to secure second place in Suzuka was almost forgotten among the post-race furore surrounding Vettel, was in defiant mood when asked how he felt about Vettel, aged 24 years and 98 days, supplanting him as the sport’s youngest two-time title winner.

The Ferrari driver was previously the youngest two-time winner at 25 years and 86 days, but said: “I think now we will see who is the youngest three-time world champion.”

He added: “I think it is a good thing for the team after difficult races where we were not so competitive that we came back to a good level here, and this podium means a lot for the team.

“It gives us some extra motivation for the remaining races. We know that it is going to be tough as the updates on the car will be minimal but in some races, some circuits, we are still competitive.

“Second place in the championship? It’s nice to be second, better than fourth or fifth, but I would prefer a race win and to finish fifth in the championship than finish in second and not win one of the remaining races.

“Hopefully we can do one of those two things, either finish second in the championship or win a race.

“We have a lot of motivation for the remaining races of this year and, for sure, a big boost for next year’s motivation.”

Through : BBC

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