Alonso sure of McLaren equality

Fernando Alonso is certain McLaren will give him and team-mate Lewis Hamilton an equal chance to win the world title at the final race in Brazil.

The Spaniard, who trails Hamilton by four points, has been critical of his team this season but is confident the Briton will not be favoured.

"I'm sure there is going to be equality," he said.

"I think in the end the two cars will be the same. They are going to give us both the same opportunities."

Alonso, Hamilton and Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen all have a chance of winning the world title in Brazil, coming after Hamilton's retirement at the Chinese Grand Prix.

After tyre failure ended the Briton's race, McLaren co-owner Ron Dennis defended the decision to delay a tyre change.

"We weren't racing Kimi, we were basically racing Fernando," Dennis explained.

Comments like that have reinforced Alonso's belief that McLaren have not treated him with the respect he deserves as reigning world champion.

But the Spaniard is insistent any bad feeling will have little effect on his or the car's performance.

"One thing is how they feel, what they say about me, but what they do on the track is a different thing, and usually they have had two cars that are exactly same, capable of fighting for victory," he said.

"And that's what I think will happen in Brazil, so everything will be up to me.

"There's no problem there, but we know they are never going to have favourable feelings towards me.

"I hope both cars will be the same, and that we can have a good qualifying and that everything that happened here was just a coincidence and we can fight for pole in Brazil, which would be the only chance to fight for victory."

Meanwhile, McLaren boss Ron Dennis has said that the team will not make any announcement about next year's driver line-up until the end of the season, amid speculation that Alonso will be moving elsewhere.

"We'll address the issue of drivers in respect of 2008 after Brazil," Dennis said.

"We've said that all the way along. We've got binding contracts with both drivers and until any dialogue is opened up after the next race, that's the way it will remain."

Source: BBC Sport