Fernando Alonso is backing former team McLaren to clinch victory in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix - but could not care less if bitter rival Lewis Hamilton is top of the podium.
Alonso knows only good fortune will see him take the chequered flag for a third successive year at the Principality after his win with Renault in 2006 and McLaren a year ago.
The Spaniard led a McLaren one-two last May, keeping a charging Hamilton at bay courtesy of team orders that prevented the 23-year-old from attacking his team-mate.
It was the spark that ignited the feud between the two men, one that is unlikely to ever be resolved in the future.
Despite his dislike for Hamilton, Alonso feels McLaren have the edge around Monte Carlo's winding street circuit.
‘I don't know and I don't care whether Lewis can win,’ replied Alonso, back with Renault for this season.
‘I have too many things to take care of than the McLaren performance.
‘What I know is that at the moment we are not on the same level as McLaren; we're not at the level where we can fight for victories, so we're not too optimistic.
‘Also when you look at how McLaren performed here last year, they are clearly the favourites this year.
‘But many things can happen, Monaco is a completely different race and you only win when you finish the race.
‘So even if they are in a dominant position all weekend, if they don't finish the race, it's enough to lose it.’
Alonso knows how topsy-turvy the race can be, in particular if it rains as predicted this weekend, with a 90% chance on Sunday.
‘Without traction control there is quite a big difference, and if it rains then it will be even worse,’ assessed Massa.
‘I don't even know how many cars will finish the race in the rain.
‘Last year in third practice on Saturday morning it rained, and it was impossible to drive even on the start/finish line.
‘You have all the lines for the start and the traction control was continually cutting in. I imagine this year if it rains it will be quite dangerous.
‘If you keep your car on the track then it will be a good result because not many cars will finish.’
A wet race will put the onus on the driver to be more skilful around a circuit which is tricky even when it is dry.
‘The driver's importance increases a little compared to the car, maybe 50-50,’ added Alonso.
‘We know it is very easy to make mistakes, to have a problem in qualifying and lose a couple of tenths (of a second).
‘Here, even if you improve the set-up two or three tenths, if you make a mistake you lose half a second.
‘So it is more important to have a clean lap from the driver than to be given two or three tenths more in terms of set-up.’
