- 31 Oct 08, 16:20#77069From Planet F1:
Alonso: Just as long as McLaren don't win
Friday 31st October 2008
Fernando Alonso has once again stirred up his feud with McLaren by saying he would rather see any other team win the World Championship.
However, the Spaniard said he had nothing personal against Lewis Hamilton, Alonso's team-mate during his ill-starred 2007 season with the Mercedes-backed team.
Hamilton is favourite to become World Champion at Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix by virtue of his seven-point lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa in the drivers' standings.
However, McLaren, who last won a championship in 1999 with Finland's Mika Hakkinen, are 11 points behind Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship.
"I have said many times that I have great respect for Lewis and we speak together," Alonso said at Interlagos on Thursday.
"Last year was the same thing. We were in the drivers' room, we speak together and we had no problems. But I think I will always prefer any team other than McLaren to win."
Alonso fell out with McLaren bosses last season because he thought his status as a double World Champion should have afforded him preferential treatment over then rookie Hamilton.
Both missed out on the 2007 drivers' title by a single point to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen while McLaren were stripped of all their Constructors' Championship points for a spying controversy.
Alonso then returned to Renault, for whom he won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006
He also said he expected Hamilton to take the title on Sunday.
"He is seven points ahead and here, if he finishes the race, it will be enough to win the Championship. In the top five (is easy because) he is quick enough to win the Championship. So Lewis is going to win," Alonso predicted.
The Spaniard added that he expected a decision about his future to be made next week.
Although the struggling Honda team are keen to secure his services, a late-season surge in form means Alonso is likely to stay with Renault.
They will be looking to rejoin Ferrari and McLaren at the head of the field next year when it is anticipated that new technical rules will help level the playing field.
"I am looking forward to next year, not just because the rules have changed," he added.
"Because in 2008 I had not the possibility to fight for the title, and I am looking forward in 2009 to come back to the position to fight for the Championship."
I'm rather confused by this. I can understand that Alonso doesn't want to see McLaren doing well and has not got a problem with Hamilton himself. Perhaps it's just me, but if I were a driver for McLaren, and if Alonso claimed that he although he had no problem with me, but just didn't want to me the title because I drive for McLaren, and try to prevent me from winning the title, I'd probably not be on speaking terms with him...
Ayrton Senna: WDC 1988,
1989, 1990, 1991
McLaren: WCC 1974, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998,
1999, 2007McLaren: WDC 1974, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2008
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point. 
