Alonso: 'McLaren didn't favour Lewis'

Updated 15.50 Sat Nov 03 2007

Keywords: McLaren, Fernando Alonso, Formula One, sport

Fernando Alonso has insisted that McLaren never favoured rookie team-mate and title rival Lewis Hamilton.

The 26-year-old double Formula One world champion has left the Woking-based team with two years remaining on his three-year contract and has received an offer to return to Renault.

"I know there have been suggestions of favouritism within the team and people say a lot of things in the heat of battle, but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win" - Fernando Alonso

Alonso, who admitted that he "never really felt at home" with McLaren, reflected: "Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out."

He added: "I know there have been suggestions of favouritism within the team and people say a lot of things in the heat of battle, but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win."

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore wants Alonso, who won back-to-back World Drivers' Championship titles in his last two years with the French team, to return.

Briatore said: "I have presented a project for the future to Fernando. If his desires coincide with ours, it can happen."

There is some speculation that the Spaniard, who is also being linked with Toyota, Red Bull and Williams, could race with Renault for a year before joining Ferrari in 2009.

But Briatore appeared to reject this possibility, saying: "I know how much he can still give Renault.

"But an agreement for one year would have no sense with an outlook projected for a period of time."