Fernando Alonso has vowed to help Felipe Massa beat Lewis Hamilton to this year's World Championship title.

Last season Alonso, then driving for McLaren, was the one involved in a title battle with Hamilton, which led to a great deal of rivalry and animosity within the team and Alonso subsequent departure after just one year.

This year, though, it's Massa who is locked in the title race with Hamilton, with Alonso vowing to do all he can to help the Ferrari driver beat his former team-mate.

"Yes, no doubt, if I can help, I will help Massa," Alonso told AS newspaper.

As for this year's Championship battle the Renault driver concedes that neither driver has reigned supreme as both Massa and Hamilton have lost points to each other as well as others during the course of the season.

"They have lost a lot of points," Alonso said of the title rivals. "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. We'll see."

With a total of 20 points still to play for Hamilton holds a five-point advantage over Massa.