By GMM

Fernando Alonso has praised BMW-Sauber's emergence as a top three formula one team, but simultaneously cooled rumours that he could be set to switch to the German squad in 2009.

The Spaniard's closest grid ally, Robert Kubica, recently predicted that he and Alonso would have "a lot of fun" if they were paired together next year.

"BMW was a team that was in an ascending phase last year and they have confirmed in 2008 that it was no fluke," Alonso, who currently drives for Renault, is quoted as saying by the Spanish newspaper Diario AS.

"They have become the third big team with Ferrari and McLaren, and Robert is a great friend of mine and I'm glad he's fighting for the title.

"But you never know if your teammate is your friend or your rival. I think we're going to continue on our own paths," he added cagily.

Double world champion Alonso, 26, has made some notable driving errors of late, but he also commented on the errors made by his former McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton.

"They don't surprise me," he said.

"The results that were strange were the nine podiums in his first nine races last year -- that required some element of luck, and wasn't all down to the driver.

"This year is more normal," Alonso added.