McLaren has not chosen champion - Haug

Norbert Haug has denied rumours that McLaren-Mercedes chiefs have now decided which of the team's drivers will be backed to win the 2007 title.In the days preceding the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours, speculation suggests that team boss Ron Dennis informed Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton after the US Grand Prix two weeks ago that only one of them will from now on be allowed to charge for the drivers' prize.But Haug, competition chief for McLaren's engine partner Mercedes-Benz, said in an interview with Deutsche-Presse-Agentur: "If that was right, I would know about it."Hamilton leads the drivers' standings over back-to-back world champion Alonso by ten points."The truth is that there is obviously a huge demand for stories about Lewis by the English media and therefore things emerge that say more about the creativity of their author than they do about the facts," he explained.

"We are not so arrogant to think that we can pre-determine who is a world champion. Ron, myself, and every other team member would welcome any world champion as long as his car has a (Mercedes-Benz) star on his nose."Playing down all the speculation about a 'civil war' in the driver line-up, then, Haug concludes: "Nothing is ever eaten as hot as it is cooked."For example, the German tabloid Bild on Thursday published an entire article explaining how Alonso reacted angrily to claims that Dennis' wife Lisa cheered loudly when Hamilton eclipsed the Spaniard's lap time for pole in Montreal.

Hamilton plays down French prospects

With a ten point cushion, an outright win is not required in FranceChampionship leader Lewis Hamilton has played down his chances of beating Fernando Alonso for a third successive time this weekend at Magny Cours.Indeed, while reigning world champion Alonso won the French Grand Prix in his Renault in 2005 and finished second last year, his McLaren team-mate's record at the circuit is less impressive.Hamilton crashed in GP2's race one at Magny Cours last year, and finished just fifth in the second contest."It is all about consistency, so I don't have to win," the Briton said this week. "A second or a third would be great.
As long as I get points, that is the key."Hamilton also remarked that pole position is not as necessary at Magny Cours as it is at some other venues because both overtaking and creative fuel strategies due to the short pit lane are possible.