Alonso questions McLaren appeal

Alonso and Hamilton have had a strained relationship this year

Fernando Alonso would be "embarrassed" if his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton won the world title on appeal.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen took the title after winning in Brazil on Sunday but McLaren's expected challenge over the result may yet hand Hamilton the crown.

Race stewards investigated alleged fuel irregularities by Williams and BMW Sauber, but decided not to punish them.

"If he wins the title because of this it wouldn't be fair. I'd be embarrassed for this sport," said Alonso.

"I'm not sure what Lewis would think - I guess if they give you the title, you don't think it's a present but rather that you deserve it. He would be delighted."

And Alonso gave his backing to Raikkonen as a worthy winner, saying: "Raikkonen is the deserved champion.

"If you have more points, you are the deserved champion, just like in football. Kimi has won six races and Hamilton, like me, has won four."

Hamilton came seventh in Brazil and so finished one point behind Raikkonen in the drivers' standings.

But had race stewards later disqualified Williams and BMW Sauber, Hamilton would have finished fourth, earning him enough points to become world champion.

McLaren notified motorsport's world governing body, the FIA, late on Sunday of their intention to appeal against the stewards' verdict.

After a torrid first season with McLaren, Alonso made it clear that he felt the team had failed to give him sufficient backing.

"McLaren got it wrong, they lost the championship for the mistaken decisions they made in the second part of the season," the Spaniard told radio station Cadena Ser.

"It isn't a secret that they haven't helped me much. It wasn't a very well-organised season from the point of view of the management.

"There was no sensation of being a team and the result speaks for itself.

"Each person will have to draw their own lessons from this season but if we had taken a different approach we would have obtained different results."

He added: "In the last few races my hands and feet were tied. I had no power to make decisions. I had to race as they told me.

"McLaren lost and Ferrari did a better job than anyone else."

And asked about whether he could see a future with the British-based team, Alonso said: "The only reality is that I'm under contract to McLaren.

"I know there are a lot of rumours but I haven't spoken with another team, that's the reality."