Alonso bewildered after Budapest

Motor Sport/ Formula One: Fernando Alonso yesterday said he felt bewildered and confused by the internal controversies at McLaren-Mercedes and described his demotion to sixth on the grid in Hungary as "surreal".

Alonso also did not confirm he would see out his contract with McLaren, which has another two years to run. When asked, he replied: "I don't know, I don't know."

The double world champion told the Spanish radio station Cadenasur: "I felt it was a strange decision to penalise the team and me. There have been some strange situations in the team all through the year and this was another example. We were first and second in qualifying and nobody was happy.

"We went to complain about ourselves. It was one of the most surreal moments I have experienced in Formula One."

Alonso and Hamilton now appear not to be speaking.

The British driver ignored team instructions to let Alonso overtake at the start of final qualifying at the Hungaroring. Alonso was then accused by stewards of deliberately impeding Hamilton in the pit lane, denying him a crack at a quick lap, and was demoted from pole position.

Hamilton had a furious argument with the team principal, Ron Dennis, over the team radio after qualifying and Alonso said he was stunned.

"It is the first time Hamilton, or any driver, speaks like that to his boss. I have never seen it. I suppose they will talk to him and in Turkey things will be back to normal in three weeks."

Alonso rejected suggestions Formula One's governing body, the FIA, was conspiring to help Hamilton. "Everybody asks me that, fans and journalists," he said, "but no, I don't think so. It is difficult to organise things to make a driver win, with all of the things that can happen in a race, the small details which can make the difference. That is impossible to control. There are always strange moments in this sport, in all sports generally, but maybe in F1 a little more."

"Last year it looked as if Michael (Schumacher) was going to win, but then his engine went and I won the championship."

McLaren boss Ron Dennis is fully expecting Alonso to see out his contract - but he will not stand in the way of the reigning double world champion should he choose to quit.

"The end is what counts and point by point, we are going to fight until the last moment. It is not an easy championship, but none of them are."

The number-one status Alonso believed would be his as world champion has not been forthcoming because of Dennis's insistence on equality between his two drivers. That has long been an essential component of Dennis's thinking, and he will not change because as he points out "a team is not just a word - it's a way of life".

So for anyone within the team - including Alonso - who does not toe the line, then they have the option of walking away. "We have built the team and company on parity," insisted Dennis. "There are many teams who share that value, but do not have either a competitive racing car or two competitive racing drivers.

" . . . we will continue to function as a team with specific values, and if anybody does not want to be part of those values - irrespective of where they sit in the organisation - ultimately they all have a choice. But we will not deviate away from our values."

• Guardian Service