The road to the Formula One

Brazil: Ferrari`s Fernando Alonso could win his third Formula One title with a race to spare in Brazil this weekend. The following looks at how the championship has unfolded for the Spaniard and his four rivals for the crown.

BAHRAIN Red Bull`s Sebastian Vettel led from pole for more than two thirds of a processional race but was slowed by an engine problem. Alonso, on his Ferrari debut, overtook team mate Felipe Massa at the first corner to lead home the one-two. Alonso 25, Lewis Hamilton 15, Vettel 12, Jenson Button 6, Mark Webber 4.AUSTRALIA McLaren`s Jenson Button won for the second year in a row in Melbourne. Vettel again started on pole but a brake failure pitched him into the gravel mid-race. Alonso was fourth, roaring back from a first corner spin that had left him last. Alonso 37, Button 31, Hamilton 23, Vettel 12, Webber 6 MALAYSIA Third time lucky for Vettel in a Red Bull one-two, with Webber starting on pole. Alonso started 19th and retired on the penultimate lap with smoke billowing from his car`s engine. Alonso 37, Vettel 37, Button 35, Hamilton 31, Webber 24 CHINA Button led Hamilton in a McLaren one-two in a wet race. Hamilton and Vettel were reprimanded for clashing in the pit lane. Alonso muscled past Massa on the pit lane entry and finished fourth after a drive-through penalty for a jump start. Button 60, Alonso 49, Hamilton 49, Vettel 45, Webber 28 SPAIN Webber chalked up his first win of the campaign, leading from start to finish. Alonso inherited second place after Hamilton crashed on the penultimate lap due to a deflated tyre. Vettel, suffering from brake problems, was third. Button 70, Alonso 67, Vettel 60, Webber 53, Hamilton 49 MONACO Webber made it two in a row. Vettel was second. Button retired on lap three with an overheated engine after his team left a bung in the sidepod. Alonso was sixth after a last corner controversy with Michael Schumacher, who passed as the safety car came in but was then handed a 20 second penalty. Webber 78, Vettel 78, Alonso 75, Button 70, Hamilton 59 TURKEY Hamilton was gifted victory after the two Red Bulls collided while fighting for the lead. Webber, on pole for the third race in a row, was third while Vettel retired. Alonso was eighth. Webber 93, Button 88, Hamilton 84, Alonso 79, Vettel 78 CANADA Hamilton chalked up another win, holding off Button in a onw-two finish. Alonso was third, Vettel fourth, Webber fifth. Hamilton 109, Button 106, Webber 103, Alonso 94, Vettel 90 EUROPEAN Ferrari and Alonso fumed over a `false race` after the safety car scuppered the Spaniard`s race in Valencia. Alonso had been third when it was deployed but ended up eighth. Vettel won, Hamilton was second. Webber crashed spectacularly. Hamilton 127, Button 121, Vettel 115, Webber 103, Alonso 98 BRITAIN Webber won after accusing his team of favouring Vettel, on pole, in qualifying. Vettel ended up at the back after making contact with Hamilton at the end of lap one and pitting with a puncture. He fought back to seventh. Alonso was 14th after collecting a drive-through penalty. Hamilton 145, Button 133, Webber 128, Vettel 121, Alonso 98 GERMANY Alonso kicked off his fightback, winning a race overshadowed by a `team orders` controversy after Massa was told to let the Spaniard through. Ferrari were fined $100,000. Vettel started on pole but was third, Hamilton fourth, Button fifth, Webber sixth. Hamilton 157, Button 143, Webber 136, Vettel 136, Alonso 123HUNGARY Webber won to take back the overall lead. Hamilton retired with a gearbox failure. Vettel, on pole, was handed a drive-through penalty for a safety car infringement and finished third with Alonso second. Bureau Report Webber 161, Hamilton 157, Vettel 151, Button 147, Alonso 141 BELGIUM Hamilton won, with Vettel taking out Button in a collision and finishing 15th. Webber was second, Alonso retired after colliding with Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, fighting back to eighth and then crashing out six laps from the end. Hamilton 182, Webber 179, Vettel 151, Button 147, Alonso 141 ITALY Alonso won Ferrari`s home race. Button was runner-up, Vettel fourth, Webber sixth. Hamilton retired on the first lap after banging wheels with Massa. Webber 187, Hamilton 182, Alonso 166, Button 165, Vettel 163 SINGAPORE Two in a row for Alonso, after holding off Vettel from pole. Webber was third after banging wheels with Hamilton in a collision that ended the Briton`s race. Webber 202, Alonso 191, Hamilton 182, Vettel 181, Button 177 JAPAN Vettel led Webber in a Red Bull one-two. Alonso was third, Button fourth. Hamilton ended a nightmare weekend in fifth. Webber 220, Alonso 206, Vettel 206, Hamilton 192, Button 189 SOUTH KOREA Alonso collects his fifth win of the season in a rain-hit and chaotic race. Webber crashed out, Vettel`s engine blew. Hamilton finished second, Button 12th. Alonso 231, Webber 220, Hamilton 210, Vettel 206, Button 189. Bureau Report