8 May 2009

Winning can heal the hurt, Alonso tells Hamilton

12:17 pm on 8 May 2009

Fernando Alonso has shown his former foe Lewis Hamilton the road to redemption after Britain's Formula One champion faced questions about his tarnished reputation.

The 24-year-old Hamilton has been heavily criticised since he and McLaren were disqualified from the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for deliberately misleading the Melbourne race stewards.

Former great Stirling Moss said he felt let down by Hamilton and the sport's world governing body handed McLaren a suspended three-race ban.

Alonso was Hamilton's team-mate at McLaren in an acrimonious 2007 season that saw their initial friendship deteriorate into a feud as they fought for the title.

The former double world champion with Renault says Hamilton's a great driver and the best way to repair his reputation is win races.

The Spaniard says his quarrel had never been with Hamilton, only with McLaren management and their philosophy.