Winning the Spanish GP would be the highlight of Alonso?s year

Madrid: Fernando Alonso says that winning this year?s world championship is the only thing that could top a triumph in his home Grand Prix in Spain Sunday.

?It would probably be the highlight of the year for me,? Alonso told a Spanish sports daily Wednesday.

?Becoming world champion would be all that could beat the feeling of stepping up on to the podium or winning the race in Barcelona.?

Alonso?s spectacular start to the season, which has seen him win the last three races in Malaysia, Bahrain and San Marino, has ensured a record 115,000 fans will attend the Circuit de Catalunya, with more than half that number coming from Spain.

Around 10,000 fans, arriving in a fleet of 50 buses and 3,000 cars, are expected to travel from Alonso?s home region of Asturias in the north of Spain to cheer him on as he aims for a fourth consecutive Grand Prix triumph.

?I think I will be under more pressure because there will be more people supporting me,? said Alonso. ?But if I had to choose between that and driving in front of empty stands then I prefer the pressure.

?To be honest, it is going to give me even more motivation when I get to certain corners in the circuit and know that my friends will be there cheering me on and maybe I?ll be able to push myself even harder.

?I?ll also be arriving as championship leader and that will give me a big morale boost too.?

The 23-year-old leads the standings with 36 points, 18 ahead of Italy?s Jarno Trulli and 26 ahead of Renault team mate Giancarlo Fisichella and seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher.

Alonso says that as well as having a more competitive car the key to his success this season has been the greater confidence the Renault team has shown in him.

?When the car is right it is easy to win,? he said. ?Last year there were times when people didn?t have 100 percent confidence in me. There were races when I had to push myself to the limit and then had to abandon the race or the engine blew and it seemed that it was always my fault.

?I notice that maybe I?m being treated a little better this year than last and I certainly feel better.?