Japanese GP: Sebastian Vettel not thinking about title

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel says he is "not thinking" about winning the world championship even though rival Fernando Alonso concedes it is over.

After winning in Japan, Vettel has a 90-point lead with only 100 available.

Vettel needs only to ensure Alonso does not score 16 more points more than him in India to seal the title, and a fifth place or better would guarantee it.

"I am not really thinking about that," said Vettel, whose victory will secure his fourth consecutive world title.

"It is the big target we set when we started the season once we realised we had a strong package.

"It is very strange because the season is very long still and we have the chance to wrap it up. But I am not thinking about it.

"I am looking forward to getting home and relaxing a bit before we go out to India, a circuit I like, a country that is really impressive, and not thinking about where we have to finish to win the championship."

Alonso admitted he was not in a position to win the championship even if Vettel failed to score in the final four races in India, Abu Dhabi, the United States and Brazil.

The Spaniard would need to win three of the races and finish second in the other, and Alonso said his Ferrari was not fast enough to do that.

"Even if Vettel doesn't finish all of the races I need to win nearly all, and we would struggle a little bit to do so, so it's a matter of time [that Vettel will be champion]," said Alonso.

Vettel has won the last five races and Alonso has not won since the Spanish Grand Prix in early May.

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