Fernando Alonso has again played down the chances of him leaving McLaren at the end of the season.

The revelations at the World Motor Sport Council hearing – where team boss Ron Dennis admitted that he was no longer on speaking terms with the world champion – increased speculation that the tense Alonso-McLaren relationship could not continue into 2008.

But at Fuji on Thursday Alonso insisted that he was going nowhere and was perfectly content.

"For next year I have a contract with this team and I don't see any problem on that," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.

"I have been working with the engineers, with the mechanics, with everybody from the beginning of the season until now with the same relationship.

"They are all very professional, very focused on doing the best we can and we are achieving good results.

"I won four races, I made some good podiums and I am fighting for the world championship, so everything is going quite well for me and I am happy."

Although Alonso has primarily been linked with a return to Renault, there has also been some speculation that he could replace Felipe Massa at Ferrari.

But both Ferrari drivers dismissed this possibility during their media briefings in Japan, with Kimi Raikkonen saying the Alonso-to-Ferrari rumours were "just talk".

"It would be interesting to race him in the same car," Raikkonen said.

"But I don't think it is going to happen."

Source: itv-f1