Dec.17 (GMM) Juan Pablo Montoya is unsure if his former team McLaren can emerge unscathed in 2008 after the turmoil of this year's Stepneygate espionage scandal.



The Mercedes powered team's newest driver recruit, Heikki Kovalainen, said at the weekend that officials have reassured him that the issue will not affect the team's performance for 2008.



But Colombian Montoya, who left the Woking based team and formula one last year to race in NASCAR, told Spanish newspapers that he is not so sure.



"We will see what happens with McLaren," the winner of seven grands prix said.



"Everything they do (for 2008) will be so carefully reviewed, wondering whether they can do it because it might contain the information from Ferrari. It will be interesting," Montoya added.



He also sent out a warning to Renault that re-hiring double world champion Fernando Alonso will not be enough to guarantee a return to top form next year.



Montoya said that "even with Senna" in the R28, the French team could not expect to win another title in the absence of a "decisive improvement" compared to 2007.