By Jonathan Noble and Michele Lostia Tuesday, December 18th 2007, 11:50 GMT
Fernando Alonso says he is not bitter about the time he had at McLaren, after claiming that his troubled spell at the team was not as bad as some people had made out.
Alonso and McLaren parted ways shortly after the 2007 campaign finished, with the Spaniard and team boss Ron Dennis enduring a difficult relationship during their first season together.
And although there were tough moments during the year, Alonso said that the truth of his time at McLaren alongside Lewis Hamilton was very different from how it was portrayed in the press.
"Too much was written about those things," he said in an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. "I suffered only a tenth of everything that had been written.
"In the end, 20 laps from the end of the season (in Brazil), I had a realistic chance of winning the title for the third consecutive time. I left with a good taste in my mouth."
Alonso said he had no predetermined plan for what he was going to do when the season finished, and revealed that every team other than Ferrari made an approach for his services once he had left McLaren.
"It was a hard decision," he explained. "We opted for Renault as an optimistic decision. When the championship ended I didn't know what I was going to do, I was waiting to see.
"Yes, there was a possibility to continue at McLaren. When I left McLaren all teams approached me, but not Ferrari. I never visited a team's factory."
And Alonso has reiterated his feeling that 2008 will be a tough year as he bids to help Renault get back to winning ways.
"Right now it's crazy to think I can win the title with Renault. I'm not thinking about the championship right now, I'm only thinking about improving the car. We'd need to take an enormous step forward to be able to fight for the world championship next year."
Alonso added he does not expect any problems with new teammate Nelson Piquet Jr.
"I'm not afraid that Piquet is going to be a new Hamilton," he said. "In the end it's up to me, I must be quicker than my teammate. I have total confidence in Renault and Flavio."
