Alonso hopes McLaren fail again

Double world champion Fernando Alonso [Images] continued his feud with McLaren on Thursday by saying he would rather see any other team win the Formula One championship.

However the Spaniard said he had nothing personal against Lewis Hamilton [Images], McLaren's 23-year-old title favourite who leads Ferrari's [Images] Felipe Massa [Images] by seven points ahead of Sunday's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.

McLaren, who last won a championship in 1999 with Finland's Mika Hakkinen, are 11 points behind Ferrari in the constructors' standings.

"I have said many times that I have great respect for Lewis and we speak together," Alonso told reporters.

"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 while he and Hamilton were team mates last season. Both missed out on the 2007 drivers' title by a single point to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen [Images] while McLaren were stripped of all their constructors' championship points for a spying controversy.

The breakdown, with Alonso accusing the team of favouring Hamilton, led to the Spaniard returning to Renault for 2008.

"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," he said.

The Spaniard said also that he expects a decision about his future to be made next week.

Struggling Honda are keen to sign him but, after winning two of the last three races, Alonso is expected to remain with Renault.

"I am looking forward to next year, not just because the rules have changed," he said.

"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."

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