McLaren drivers not best friends

UPDATE Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were notable absentees from the paddock at the Istanbul Park circuit yesterday, remaining behind closed doors in their hotel rooms with the McLaren management as they sought to defuse the tension which still hangs in the air following their rift during qualifying for the Hungarian grand prix three weeks ago.

Rather than parade their opinions in front of the press in the 33C heat, the McLaren team principal Ron Dennis and his right-hand man Martin Whitmarsh insisted that Hamilton and Alonso, seven points apart at the head of the drivers' world championship table, talk over their differences in private before making their first appearance of the weekend before this morning's first free practice session. Dennis, who was visibly shell-shocked at the Hungaroring after both his drivers attempted to double-cross each other during qualifying, resulting in Alonso losing his pole position thanks to a five-place grid penalty, came to Turkey for the 12th race of the 17-race season hoping that time would have soothed Alonso's injured pride. Yet although both men talked for almost two hours it was not obvious last night whether they had cleared the air. The Guardian

08/23/07 (GMM) Norbert Haug on Thursday was not keen to divulge much about what have been described unofficially as 'clear-the-air talks' between McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

On the eve of practice for the Turkish grand prix, the feuding pair were excused from official duties, including media interviews, at the Istanbul circuit and instead met in the presence of team chiefs in a downtown hotel.

Haug, team engine partner Mercedes-Benz's competition director, divulged only that "internal matters" were discussed at the meeting, despite assumptions that the drivers were told in no uncertain terms by team boss Ron Dennis that the hostility of the recent Hungarian grand prix should not be repeated.

The German insisted, however, that it is "understandable" that the pair are hardly the best of friends as they battle for the 2007 title.

"Those who contend for places five and ten have an easier task to be good friends," Haug added, "but our opponents are outside, and not inside, the team."