Alonso predicts very close 2006 season

"It's always complicated (to make predictions) because you never know what the others are testing with, but it looks like Honda, Ferrari and Renault are the strongest teams," Alonso told reporters in Barcelona.

"McLaren are now improving a lot and they could be ready for the first race.

"It's going to be a very close season and the team who manage to develop their car the most will be the favourites. Maybe now we are all at the same level so we have to wait and see how every team develops to know who will be the winner."

Alonso became the youngest Formula One champion last season after beating McLaren rival Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn and the Spaniard were the only contenders for most of the season, with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher finishing far behind the young duo in third place.

The Renault driver benefited from McLaren's problems at the start of the season to open a gap Raikkonen would never be able to erase despite his team's improved form in the latter part of the year.

Alonso reckons this season he will not have that advantage.

"I think last year Renault and McLaren were above the rest," Alonso added. "McLaren made a few mistakes and we benefited from it, but this year a lot of teams are closely matched and the points will be evenly spread."

The Spaniard, however, reckons himself and his team are ready to repeat the feat.

"Last year we started thinking that Ferrari would dominate, that it would be like in 2004, dreaming of winning a race and then we ended up fighting for the title. This year we start with a different mentality.

"We have a competitive car, we know how to win the championship because we did last year and we are going to try to repeat that. We know we have a car to be up there fighting."