Alonso won in Fuji, as Hamilton finished 12th, and the Renault star says he will now help Massa to win. Photograph: Toru Hanai/Reuters

Renault’s Fernando Alonso has said there is “no doubt” he will help the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa to win the world championship this season.

Alonso, who won yesterday’s Japanese grand prix, partnered Lewis Hamilton at McLaren last year, but the pair had numerous public spats and Alonso ended his contract early to return to Renault. He has remained a vocal critic of the British driver, who currently leads the standings by five points over Massa, and has now said that if he has the opportunity he will help the Ferrari driver to win.

Double world champion Alonso also criticised Hamilton for failing to score as many points as he did in 2006, when he won his second title. “Yes, no doubt, if I can help, I will help Massa,” Alonso told Spain’s AS newspaper. “After 16 races the leader has 84 points. In 2006 I had 82 in nine races. In this championship the drivers who are up there have scored few points. But in the end the one who makes the least errors will win.”

Alonso gave further evidence of his animosity towards Hamilton and the McLaren team when he said he agreed with the penalty the Briton received for his move at the start of yesterday’s race. “I don’t know what he did,” said the Spaniard, “but it’s good he’s punished anyway.”

Massa, meanwhile, has denied Hamilton’s claim that he deliberately crashed into the Briton at Fuji yesterday. “I did the corner normally, and he came back very aggressively and hit me,” said Hamilton. “That was pretty much as deliberate as can be.” But Massa has responded by insisting: “I did not hit him deliberately. I can’t believe he sees it that way.”

The McLaren boss Ron Dennis is supporting his driver and said it was clear that Massa had made a mistake. “Everybody saw the same TV images that I saw,” said Dennis. “He [Massa] was off the road and he drove back on into the side of Lewis. It’s as simple as that and it’s there for everyone to see. Felipe made a huge mistake going in, he ran completely wide and Lewis went on the inside and was 100% on the circuit all the time.”

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