McLaren boss Ron Dennis is confident that his current drivers are not heading for a repeat of the tensions that marred his team's achievements in the Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost era. Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso's strong performances, allied to Ferrari's fall from the top, could leave the McLaren duo fighting it out alone for the world championship this year. It is a scenario that McLaren last faced in the last 1980s when Prost and Senna were locked in an intense battle.
But although that rivalry resulted in McLaren's two drivers hating each other, Dennis is adamant that the scenario this time around is very different - and not just because they are much younger.
"It's different, the two years difference between them is nothing," he said. "The humour in the situation is that they really like each other.
"It is a sort of situation where (they say): 'I like you, but wish you wouldn't be so competitive. '"
The closeness of the fight between the two drivers, allied to Spanish radio comments Alonso made recently and his controversial swerve at Indianapolis, have inevitably prompted speculation that tension is developing between them. But Dennis thinks there is absolutely no issue between the drivers, and believes that complete equality of treatment for the pair will ensure no future problems either.
"I am comfortable with the situation," said Dennis. "Of course it's great to be first and second and lead both championships, but the important thing in anyone's life is to be happy.
"They are very committed to winning, but it is also important to them how they win. I just make sure there is nothing in the team interpreted by either driver as not being equitable."
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