McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton says “it’s finished really, in the sense of the championship it’s almost over already” after finishing fourth along Valencia’s street circuit.

Fernando Alonso, who finished second, believes Ferrari is improving but “the championship is not in our calculations ... if anyone thinks we can win $?h championship being eight-tenths behind (Red Bull) they don’t understand Formula One.” Vettel stretched his lead to 77 points over teammate Mark Webber and M?thren’s Jenson Button.

Alonso is 99 points behind Vettel in fifth place.