In a move which is sure to cause further controversy following today's sensational incident in the final phase of qualifying, when Fernando Alonso appeared to deliberately hold up teammate Lewis Hamilton, thereby preventing the Englishman from making a final attempt at the coveted pole position, team boss Ron Dennis has blamed the Englishman.

In the minutes after today's session, the Pitpass forum, like many others, was buzzing as race fans logged on to air their views, and for the most part they saw the incident as a deliberate attempt by the World Champion to thwart the efforts of his teammate.

With the British media sure to run amok in the aftermath, Ron Dennis sat down with reporters this evening and went through the process, in an obvious attempt at calming what could prove to be a very difficult situation.

"Fernando was being counted down by his engineer," he explained. "He's under the control of his engineer. He determines when he goes, that's the sequence. If you think that it was a deliberate thing, then you can think what you want. I have given you exactly what happened.

"We have various procedures within the team," he continued, "and prior to practice we determine how it is going to be run, what our strategy is, and how that's going to be enacted on the circuit."

The problem came at the start of the final 'shoot out' phase claims Dennis.

"They were out of sequence because Lewis should have slowed and let Fernando past," said the Englishman. "But he didn't. He charged off, and that's how we got out of sequence."

According to the McLaren boss Alonso was scheduled to complete an extra lap during the fuel burn off phase, a move that Hamilton had been alerted to. However, things didn't g to plan.

"It was Fernando's turn to get the advantage of the longer fuel burn," said Dennis. "The arrangement was that we reverse positions on the first lap, but that didn't occur as arranged. That was somewhat disappointing and caused some tensions on the pit wall.

"We were, from that moment on, out of sequence because the cars were in the wrong place on the circuit and that unfolded into the pit stops," he continued. "It complicated the situation and the end result was Lewis not getting his final timed lap."

At a time when his team is already involved in a high-profile saga, the last thing Dennis needs is more problems, especially when some fans, and sections of the media, will claim that today's incident was a deliberate attempt by one McLaren driver to scupper the other's prospects.

"It is extremely difficult to deal with two such competitive drivers," he admitted. "There are definite pressures within the team and we make no secret of it. They are both very competitive, and they both want to win, and we are trying our very hardest to balance those pressures. Today we were part of a process where it didn't work, and the end result is more pressure on the team.

"But what you are hearing is the exact truth of what happened," he continued, "and we will manage it inside the team through the balance of the season.

"Obviously Lewis feels more uncomfortable with the situation than Fernando," he added, "but that's life, that's the way it is, and if he feels too hot to talk about it then that's the way it is. But what I've done is give you an exact understanding of what took place today."

It remains to be seen whether the fans, far less the media, accept Dennis explanation.

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