SAO PAULO, Oct 20, 2007 (AFP) - Fernando Alonso admitted that he faces a near impossible task to take the Formula One world championship on Sunday after a disappointing qualifying performance placed him fourth on the starting grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Alonso needs to score four more points than his McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton if he is to win a third consecutive world title but with British rookie sensation Hamilton starting from second, Alonso´s chances now appear very slim.

To compound the Spaniard´s misery the Ferrari´s of polesitter Felipe Massa and fellow championship hopeful Kimi Raikkonen will also start in front of him making the task of making up places even more difficult.

"I´m very disappointed," Alonso told Italian television channel RAI after qualifying.

"Certainly fourth is very disappointing, but there´s nothing I can do about it now. I just need to think about tomorrow to try to do an impossible race."

Alonso blamed his poor qualifying performance at the last Grand Prix in China on incorrect tyre pressure and he offered a different excuse in Brazil - the failure of his McLaren mechanics to get him out onto the track before Hamilton for the final qualifying session.

It is seen to be an advantage to be first onto the track for the final mini-session and Hamilton´s pit crew were able to get the 22-year-old out before Alonso, who was next in the queue.

Alonso´s track positioning meant that he had to push very hard to fit in an all-important final quick lap, an issue that he believes cost him crucial time.

He said: "The main problem was starting behind my teammate as usual. To pass the finish line with just three seconds to go makes you go too fast on the out-lap."