Alonso furious

TWO-TIME world champion Fernando Alonso was furious on Saturday after mechanical problems scuppered one of the best chances he has had this season of winning pole position.

The engine of the Spaniard's Renault cut out during the second qualifying session for the Singapore Grand Prix, leaving him in 15th on the grid and with little chance of making the points on a tight street circuit.

He said the car had been running better than at any time this year.

'Yeah, no doubt about it. We haven't been this strong anywhere,' he told reporters after his Renault stopped with a fuel pump problem.

'We have been first in nearly all sessions and with an easy lap in Q1 I was sixth.

'In other races we wouldn't have lost much but here we have lost the biggest chance we had,' added Alonso, who was fastest in Friday's practice and Saturday's first session.

He was understandably fuming at the lost chance.

'The race is lost. You can't overtake here and I'm starting from 15th, so I will be going out just to lap the track, but it's over already,' he said.