Alonso insists no 'bad thoughts'

Fernando Alonso has bucked reports that the opening few races of 2007 have left him 'rattled'. The reigning world champion and drivers' championship leader might be forgiven for feeling flustered about the performance and hype of his rookie teammate at McLaren in 2007, Lewis Hamilton, or his lacklustre outing earlier this month in Bahrain.

But Alonso, 25, is quoted by the Spanish news agency EFE as insisting that he still considers himself to be in a honeymoon-like period of this season.

The next grand prix is at Barcelona, where a sellout crowd of Alonso's countrymen are expected.

"You are always really optimistic during the first months of a season," he said, "and you think that you can repeat all of your past successes.

"There are no bad thoughts at all -- they usually come a little bit later, when things happen and you start to have doubts."

Alonso insisted: "But at the beginning of the season all of your expectations and predictions are good ones."

The Spaniard said switching from Renault after five years at the French team has left him feeling "refreshed".

"I have a different image but I have not changed as a person," Alonso continued.

"But changing teams has made me feel ready for new challenges; I feel that this is a new chapter in my life and it is exactly what I needed."

He failed to match Briton Hamilton's pace last time out in Bahrain but Alonso insists that he approaches every race freshly and "thinking that I can win".

"Five minutes before you put on your helmet it would be a mistake to think that you are not going to beat everyone," he explained.