Fernando Alonso said Friday the battle for Formula One primacy could be a lot tighter this year ahead of his bid to recover on two runner-up places after Sebastian Vettel with a maiden title for Ferrari. Last season's world championship was amazing for the fact there were seven race-winners in the first seven races before Alonso went toe-to-toe with Red Bull leading Vettel in a decisive, exciting finale at Interleague.
Vettel, the sport's youngest-ever three-time world winner (2010, 2011, 2012), finished sixth at the famous Brazilian circuit, where Alonso was second, to beat his Spanish competitor to the title by only three points.
Alonso, speaking at the start of Ferrari's new F138 car for the upcoming season, indicates that their predictable duel in 2013 could leave rivals straggling in their wake from the season-opening Australian GP in March.
"I think the probability of seeing seven different race winners in the first seven races, like last year, will be unfeasible," he said. "There will be a utmost of two or three teams" combat for the title, he added, "and one of those will absolutely be Ferrari."
Alonso, a two-time world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, joined Ferrari for the 2010 period and finished runner-up to Vettel. He finished a unsatisfactory fourth in 2011 but in 2012 won three times and tenable a total of 13 platform places before being pipped by Vettel at the finish.