Sep.9 (GMM) Norbert Haug has advised Fernando Alonso to ignore the possible advances of other F1 teams.

Amid the escalating spy scandal, and the scarcely disputed fact that the reigning world champion is unhappy at McLaren this year, 26-year-old Alonso has been linked with moves to rival teams for 2008 including Toyota, Renault and even Ferrari.

But Haug, Mercedes-Benz's competition chief, told the German broadcaster Premiere: "I do not believe that he would be better off anywhere else.

"With his team of last year (Renault), he would definitely not be where he is now, so to that extent you can say that our team has done a lot for him."

Haug hastily added: "And he has returned a lot to us as well."