Fernando Alonso on Sunday denied that swerving towards the McLaren pit wall during the US Grand Prix had been a sign of anger during his on-track battle against Lewis Hamilton.

The reigning world champion, however, would not have his statement backed up by chiefs of the McLaren team, including Martin Whitmarsh, Norbert Haug and even Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche.

"(Alonso) was a little annoyed, I am sure," Mercedes' competition chief Haug told the German broadcaster RTL.

But the German insisted that Hamilton, who went on to win his second win in the space of seven days, had done nothing wrong.

"Fernando was pushing very hard at the time, while Lewis drove in the same way that Fernando did in Monaco. You have to accept that the front runner sets the pace of the race."

Haug added that officials 'must ensure' that any tension inside the Woking based team does not get out of control.

DaimlerChrysler's Zetsche, meanwhile, said: "Both of our drivers are racers, and naturally they both want to win - even against their team-mates.

"The fight was fair, it was clean, which is what you expect. You don't expect them to just sit back and watch."