Hamilton on his guard against 'strange' Alonso

Heading into the last three races of a tumultuous season, the British driver's outspoken criticism of his McLaren 'team-mate' shattered what little remained of any pretence of a decent working relationship.

Big in Japan: Hamilton is greeted on his arrival at the Fuji Speedway yesterday

Speaking in the run-up to Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, which returns to Fuji after a 30-year break, Hamilton took a swipe at Alonso for demanding to be granted the team's No 1 status on the grounds that he is the reigning double world champion.

Hamilton said: "It shows how much of a threat I am and that he is worried, which is great.

"But then it is strange. You try to understand these people, then the whole idea of what sort of person they are is miles out of the ball park. He is not the person I imagined him to be. However, that's the way it is.

"I want to win fair and square. Not once have I approached team members and asked to be favoured.

"It's better when you both have equal opportunity. It means you both have got to do the best job you can. After Monaco the team didn't know what to do with the strategy so they gave us equal fuel loads for qualifying and whoever out-qualifies the other has done the better job.

"If it's equal I have to work harder or he has to work harder to stay ahead. I want to win it the right way. The best feeling ever is when you know you have won and you have beaten someone as talented as he is with the exact same equipment and exactly the same opportunity. I don't understand why he would ask for favours."

Hamilton's assertive comments, underlining his growing stature within the organisation, reflect the breakdown in relations that dates back at least to qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 4.

It was there that Alonso stopped Hamilton squeezing in a final flying lap by blocking him in the pit lane.

The Spaniard was apparently angered that his younger partner was out of sequence earlier in the session and took immediate revenge. The stewards moved Alonso back five places.

It was that weekend that the former Renault driver threatened team boss Ron Dennis with informing the FIA about incriminating email evidence regarding McLaren's role in the spying row if he was not made their undisputed top driver.

Alonso followed this by not attending the World Motor Sport Council espionage hearing in Paris, putting himself before the team by going straight to Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix rather than joining Hamilton and test driver Pedro de la Rosa in the McLaren delegation.

Then he angered Hamilton with his aggressive approach on the track, forcing the rookie off at the first hairpin. It was a robust piece of driving from a man desperate to claw back his adversary's shrinking lead. The gap stands at two points in Hamilton's favour.

But Hamilton believes he is wiser for the experience. "I will be a lot more aware of him around me," said the 22-year-old. "You wait and see. I'm driving to keep the car on the track and be fair to everyone.

"If that's how aggressive he wants to be then I can be just as aggressive. But I'm not going to take silly risks and take myself off or anyone else. I just have to make sure I'm ahead of him so it won't be an issue."

Alonso appears unperturbed by the furore and, unlikely as it seems, even talked about being at McLaren next season, saying: "For next year, I have a contract with this team and I don't see any problem. I am fighting for the world championship so everything is going quite well for me. I'm happy."

Alonso was sitting just a table away from Hamilton as he conducted his interviews. He was smiling and chatting with his devoted Spanish entourage. His contented air did not go unnoticed.

Hamilton said: "It has been a little bit strange during the season. Fernando is with his group and there is my family and they are very separate.

"We tried our best to bring them together and, at one point, it looked like they didn't want to know. Then we spoke to each other at Turkey and it seemed to go a lot better.

"Then when we arrived at Spa for some reason he was just sitting there laughing and joking as if nothing had happened. I don't understand it.

"People said when you get to F1 there will be a lot of sharks. I got here and at the start I was thinking people are really nice.

"Clearly, not always."