Alonso: We will be back at the top next year

Speaking to Sky (Germany) Alonso was asked to rank who he believed would be the 2018 Formula 1 title contenders, "We will be up there. We are very optimistic that we'll be back at the top next year. The year to come back to the top for us, then Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo."

"On the second step I put Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen," added the Spaniard.

He was also asked to rate newly crowned four times world champion Lewis Hamilton, "He is one of the greatest. After all, he has won four titles. He has proven in recent years that Mercedes has a very dominant car that completely dominates Formula One."

"But he is one of the greatest because at McLaren he performed excellently even in difficult times. He has won races in a car that was not a winner. He deserves to succeed even when sitting in a dominant car. He has always been at the highest level," added Alonso.

However he did say recently of Hamilton's triumph, "It was very easy this year, no opponents. Last year he had Nico [Rosberg] until the last race, fighting every single race.

"This year was too easy. Mercedes four races to the end constructors' champion, Hamilton three races before the end drivers' champion. Hopefully, McLaren-Renault will change this easy time for them," added Alonso.