Oct.6 (GMM) Norbert Haug has defended his fellow McLaren-Mercedes chief Ron Dennis after the Briton criticised Fernando Alonso in China.

Team boss Dennis in Shanghai rebuked Alonso when the Spaniard said he would "not answer" a question about whether he expects equal treatment for the final two races of 2007.

Reports in the Spanish press hit back at Dennis' apparent intensification of an already strained relationship with the reigning world champion.

But Haug, competition director for McLaren's engine partner Mercedes-Benz, told the newspaper Diario As: "I have always defended Fernando, but Ron is not a bad type.

"From the very first moment, we have done everything we can to try to integrate (Alonso) in the team."

It is reported that Alonso's seemingly flawed relationship with the team is having a tangible effect on the sale of Mercedes-Benz road cars in Spain.

The matter was worsened even more after the 26-year-old's heavy crash at Fuji Speedway, when it was suggested that neither Dennis or Haug bothered to even phone Alonso to check that he had not been hurt.

Haug does not deny the charge, revealing only that Alonso had been checked over by team doctor Aki Hintsa, who told McLaren bosses "that he was okay".

"Our relationship with Fernando could be better, but we are not shutting him out," he insists.

To prove his point, Haug also criticised Lewis Hamilton for accusing his teammate of disloyalty in Japan a week ago.

"I do not like to hear that and I believe that it is better if the drivers do not speak about one another in a way such as this.

"We are under pressure from all sides, and I don't mind being criticised -- but do not say that we are not fair."