w00dy 2005.07.29 0 0 189147 Don't call me lucky says Alonso 'It is unfair to call it luck' [29/07/05 - 12:23] Fernando Alonso has hit back at claims he will be a lucky World Champion this season as his rival Kimi Raikkonen has been dogged by misfortune. Raikkonen has missed out on four near-certain victories this season, handing 40 points directly to Alonso in Malaysia, San Marino, the Nurburgring and at last weekend's German Grand Prix. The has also been hit by two engine failures in the last three races, which have hampered his qualifying position, and will start first, on a dirty track, for this weekend's grid-deciding session Saturday. "It is unfair to call it luck," said Alonso. "Is it luck because the people at Renault have done a good job? No. I really don't think you can say that we are lucky. We have designed an engine that lasts, our mechanics did not sleep through the winter at the tests to prepare the car so we could test more, our guys in the wind tunnel are working 24 hours to improve the car. If the other teams have not done that, it is not our fault." McLaren have the fastest car on the grid and are expected to dominate here this weekend but the machine has been unreliable and those vital failures have cost Raikkonen the chance to challenge for the title. The Finn admitted his chances are 'slipping away' and said he needs Alonso to be hit by similar problems to those he has suffered if he is to claw his way back. Alonso, however, continues to dampen claims that the title is in the bag. "Nothing is sure - there are still seventy points to take this year and what if we have two or three retirements? Then it will be very close," the Spaniard said. "We have seven races to go, and if we carry on doing the same job then it is possible with this car. I take the races one by one, because there is no other way. But we need to avoid problems and I can't make any mistakes." "McLaren are quicker than us, but we know this should be a good track for the Renault, so we have a good opportunity this weekend. We need to take it. We have to attack. We need to be aggressive and score lots of points." Alonso celebrated his 24th birthday in quiet fashion here Friday, determined to keep his mind on maximising his chances in the race and admitting he will have a 'double party' if he wins here Sunday. If Raikkonen's McLaren fails again, as it has in some way in all of the last three races, then he could even become the youngest Formula One champion ever with victory at the next race in Turkey in mid- August. McLaren, who finished fifth in last year's world championship compared to Renault's third, have been pushing so hard that they are occasionally pushing over the limit in the quest for speed. But Renault's approach is different and Alonso, who has won six times this year, said: "The R25 is not the quickest car at the moment, but it is the best. I think we have a different philosophy to some other teams. McLaren want to have the quickest car, but with some risk. We want a quick car, but with no risk. Maybe we have sacrificed some performance on the engine, or the chassis. But we are happy because the car is reliable."