Fernando Alonso has refused to jump on the bandwagon and criticise Sebastian Vettel for losing last year’s title race, saying he “fought until the end” and remains a “champion”.

Last season Vettel looked to be the favourite to win the Drivers’ Championship only for his season to implode midway through the campaign.

Mistakes from the driver and his Ferrari team handed the momentum to Lewis Hamilton who romped to his fifth World title.

Vettel had to settle for second.

Put to him that he would have won the 2018 championship had he been driving the SF71H, Alonso told Corriere della Sera: “These are difficult predictions.