Lewis 'surprised' by Alonso comments.

Lewis Hamilton has admitted his surprise over comments made by his team-mate Fernando Alonso suggesting that the Briton has been getting more support within the McLaren Mercedes team.

Alonso was quoted on the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser saying that he didn't feel totally comfortable and that as a 'English driver in an English team', Hamilton was getting more support during his debut season in Formula 1.

The comments came on the back of a weekend of wildly different fortunes for the McLaren duo in Canada with Hamilton securing his maiden win and Alonso trailing in seventh - having been passed by the Super Aguri of Takuma Sato in the closing stages in Montreal.

Speaking in Indianapolis ahead of the United States Grand Prix, where he will hope to maintain his eight point lead over Alonso in the drivers' standings, Hamilton admitted he was surprised by Alonso's comments and added that he agreed with team boss Ron Dennis - who denied that either driver was given preferential treatment over the other.

"I find it strange he said that because I feel that ever since he joined the team, the team have been extremely motivated to push us both toward winning," the rookie said. "Ron and the other guys on the team have been working very hard to make sure we have equal opportunity.

"It's probably always going to be difficult in a business, but obviously I've got a great relationship with all the guys in the team because I've been with them since I was 13. At the end of the day when Fernando came into the team, they were extremely excited and I feel built a very good relationship with him. So I don't see why he would say that. But I guess because he is Spanish and I am English, he might feel that way, but I don't agree with it personally."

However, Hamilton did add that Alonso may well have been taken by surprise by his performance to date this season - with the Briton having taken the sport by storm with six podium finishes from his first six starts.

"I doubt very much that he was expecting me to do as well as I have," he said, "but I don't know whether that's why he would be saying what he's saying. But definitely coming into the team, he's the two-time world champion and he's not really been challenged - well, I think he has some challenges in the past but not really had probably someone as close as me and as good a friend off the track probably. So it's a very difficult situation."