Mclaren are considering a shock move for Fernando Alonso six years after the Spaniard departed the team in acrimonious circumstances.

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh has revealed he would love to re-sign Alonso, who is disaffected with Ferrari, especially after the signing of Kimi Raikkonen as his team-mate for next year.

Whitmarsh said: "Are we interested in Fernando? Yes. Any team would be.

"A lot of observers don't believe the driver line-up Ferrari will have is potentially going to be sustainable."

But he added: "In all probability, our driver line-up will remain unchanged next year, let's be honest about it, but you never know."

Alonso has grown frustrated at Ferrari's failure to help him win his third world title.

There is also speculation that the team are struggling to adapt to next season's powertrain regulations.

Alonso faced rare public condemnation from president Luca Di Montezemolo this season after he criticised the car.

And Ferrari's decision to get rid of Felipe Massa, who has long played a subservient role at Maranello, could prove the final straw for Alonso, who knows he would get no assistance from Raikkonen.

The Spaniard appeared to have burned his bridges with McLaren when he was shown the door in 2007 after threatening to divulge information relevant to the spygate saga.

Whitmarsh said: "Let's be honest, it was fairly acrimonious at the end.

"But we are in a different circumstance now."

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton issued a statement of intent today in first practice for Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver posted a time of one minute 47.055 seconds, 0.365secs ahead of Red Bull's Mark Webber.

Hamilton desperately needs a win to have any hope of clawing back the 81-point advantage of Webber's team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who came in 0.830secs behind.