MONZA, Italy, Sept 8, 2007 (AFP) - Fernando Alonso revealed Saturday that the controversial nature of this year's Formula One world championship would add special meaning to his satisfaction if he completes a hat-trick of title triumphs.
The defending double world champion said another title win under the prevailing circumstances would mean more to him than beating retiring seven-times champion Michael Schumacher to the 2006 crown last year.
"Above all, I'd like to win this championship, which is being so controversial," he said after taking the 17th pole position of his career following a close tussle with his McLaren team-mate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton, the 22-year-old English rookie who has stolen the spotlight from Alonso so far this season, leads the title race by five points with five races remaining.
"For me, it would mean even more than last year's, when I was fighting against Michael (Schumacher), and that's what I'm going to try," added Alonso.
"It's harder than ever, but a bit closer than three or four races ago when we were 14 points behind.
"Now we are five behind. We have pole position. It's five finals and there won't be a gram of me that won't try it.
"Every race is important," he added. "I'd like to win here because I have never won in Monza and this track is very special."
His comments suggested that a victory here would also help him wipe away the bitter taste of developments off the race track.
McLaren are currently under threat of sanctions at next week's meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council, in relation to the various 'spy story' allegations which have implicated Alonso.
Alonso, who won his previous two titles while racing with Renault, said: "We didn't think we could fight for the title at the start of the year, seeing what McLaren had done in 2006.
"And I had doubts about how the car would be, but we found a very good car that allowed us to fight for the title, although it's not being easy at all."
The FIA said Friday they would look into the possibility that a dossier containing secret information about McLaren's rivals Ferrari's tyre and car set-ups had found its way to the British team.
According to some reports the secret dossier found its way to Alonso, via McLaren team test driver Pedro de la Rosa.