Fernando Alonso reiterated his long-term love and loyalty to Ferrari yesterday after McLaren, the Formula One team he left in acrimonious circumstances in 2007, said they would be keen to sign him.

“I repeat more or less every weekend, but I keep repeating, that I love Ferrari and I will stay in Ferrari until the end,” the Spaniard, whose contract runs to the end of 2016, told reporters at the Singapore GP.

“I have three more years with Ferrari and I hope many more to come if we can extend the contract.”

McLaren principal Martin Whitmarsh had told reporters earlier that his team would be in the market for the double world champion should he want to leave their Italian rivals.

“Yes, if I could,” he said when asked if he wanted to sign him. “I think most teams up and down this pitlane would happily sign Fernando Alonso. He’s a very talented driver.

“I expect next year our driver line-up to stay the same but we are open to anything,” he added. “And in the longer term then he’d be a great asset. I think Fernando’s in control of his own destiny, but we’ll see.”

McLaren have yet to confirm their 2014 line-up, although Whitmarsh said 2009 world champion Jenson Button’s deal was done, and there are lingering doubts about Mexican Sergio Perez’s future with them.