FIA Wants Fair Deal for Alonso in Brazil

Formula one's governing body will appoint an official to ensure Fernando Alonso gets equal treatment to that of his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton at next week's title-deciding Brazilian grand prix.

"We can confirm that the FIA is in the process of appointing a special scrutineer for the Brazilian grand prix," confirmed a spokesman for the International Automobile Federation (FIA) today.

Hamilton, the 22-year-old Briton who could become the first rookie to win the formula one title as well as the youngest champion, leads Alonso by four points ahead of the decider at Interlagos on Sunday week. Finland's Kimi Raikkonen is a further three points back for Ferrari in the first three-way battle down to the wire since 1986. Carlos Gracia, head of the Spanish Motorsport Federation who will be attending the race as a guest of McLaren principal Ron Dennis, told AS newspaper that he had raised concerns with the FIA president Max Mosley last week.

"I showed my concern over the situation that Fernando is going through, which is no secret, and he [Mosley] reassured me," said Gracia. "The FIA are going to have an official who is going to watch very closely that nothing bad happens to Fernando, above all in qualifying, which is where there have been most complaints or strange situations in recent races."

Hamilton has been nurtured by McLaren for the past decade while Alonso joined from Renault at the end of last year and has become increasingly isolated within the team. Dennis revealed last week that their relationship was very cold and they were no longer on speaking terms while Hamilton has accused the double world champion of lacking loyalty.

The breakdown in relations has been exacerbated by emails from Alonso that were used in evidence against the team in a spying controversy that cost McLaren the constructors' championship and a £50m fine. The Spaniard was strongly critical of Dennis and the team at last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, suggesting again that McLaren were favouring Hamilton. "My confidence in this team is zero," AS quoted Alonso as saying after qualifying in Shanghai. McLaren issued a statement yesterday reiterating their determination to treat both drivers equally in Brazil.

Meanwhile, Hamilton has decided his PlayStation rather than space-age technology will serve him better ahead of Interlagos, a track on the calendar Hamilton has yet to experience, unlike Alonso and Raikkonen. That has not hampered Hamilton so far in his debut year as three of his four victories have been at circuits where he had not previously driven. But despite the fact McLaren have a multi-million pound simulator at their Woking factory, Hamilton feels his games console will prove more than adequate.

"I've no plans to use the simulator, although I can if I want to," said Hamilton. "But I only use it if I come into the factory for development work on the car. I don't really gain an advantage, either physically or mentally from it. And anyway, I've played Brazil many times on the PlayStation. I've done a race with my brother, and I've always won."