Fernando Alonso (Getty Images)
Fernando Alonso has been warned: Win here or risk losing your crown.
Jenson Button dished out the advice as the Spaniard continued to moan he was not getting fair reward for his efforts with the McLaren-Mercedes team.
Honda's race ace warned the double champion he cannot afford to lose in Istanbul today as the championship edges closer to its finale in Brazil.
Britain's Lewis Hamilton has a seven-point lead with six races remaining, including today's Turkish Grand Prix.
"It's important. He really needs to win it, especially after what happened in Hungary," said Button. "If he doesn't there will not be much margin for error in the last five races."
Alonso (right) starts fourth, two places behind Hamilton, but must finish in the top two to have any chance of snatching the lead in the world championship from the Brit. Despite peace talks, the man from Oviedo intimated yesterday he is still not entirely comfortable at McLaren as he dodged questions about his future after links with Ferrari.
"As far as having a winning car and being one-two in the drivers' championship, I am happy," he said.
But Alonso claimed he had helped develop last year's uncompetitive car into its front-running form but was getting the same treatment as Hamilton whom, he said, had not.
Alonso said: "I brought to the team six-tenths of a second in lap time and I don't see them giving me anything back."
THE GRID
1. MASSA Ferrari 1m27.329s
2. HAMILTON McLaren 1m27.373s
3. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m27.546s
4. ALONSO Mclaren 1m27.574s
5. KUBICA BMW 1m27.722s
6. HEIDFELD BMW 1m28.037s
7. KOVALAINEN Renault 1m28.491s
8. ROSBERG Williams 1m28.501s
9. TRULLI Toyota 1m28.740s
10. FISICHELLA Renault 1m29.322s
11. DAVIDSON Super Aguri 1m28.002s
12. WEBBER Red Bull 1m28.013s
13. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m28.100s
14. BARRICHELLO Honda 1m28.188s
15. WURZ Williams 1m28.390s
16. LIUZZI Toro Rosso 1m28.798s
17. SCHUMACHER Toyota 1m28.809s
18. SATO Super Aguri 1m28.953s
19. VETTEL Toro Rosso 1m29.408s
20. SUTIL Spyker 1m29.861s
21. YAMAMOTO Spyker 1m31.479s
21. BUTTON Honda 1m28.220s*
*Ten place grid penalty for engine change
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Jonathan Pearce
ALEC STEWART
THE MOLE