Briatore: « Alonso would have been better off at Renault »

Renault boss Flavio Briatore claims that Fernando Alonso would not have had the same kind of tumultuous season he experienced with McLaren if he had stayed with the French team.

« This would never have happened with us, because we work in complete transparency, » Briatore said in the Autosprint magazine.

At the beginning of 2007, Alonso joined McLaren after winning two titles with Renault, but his relationship with the team and its boss Ron Dennis deteriorated throughout the year.

The British team and the Spanish driver parted ways last week, despite Alonso having two years left on his contract.

When asked if Alonso was difficult to manage, Briatore added: « We overestimate the drivers. They are twenty, twenty-five years old, and we expect them to behave in all situations like mature people. We need to take the human aspect more into consideration. »

« They face events that are very hard to bear, and sometimes we don’t help them. But Fernando has never had problems with us. »

« I think the help always goes to the same people. This happened with Schumacher and other drivers … except for Fernando. Alonso has always had unfavorable conditions. »

« In my opinion, he has always encountered obstacles, both this year and last year … » he concluded.

Alonso is said to be returning to Renault next year. Spanish media are talking about a deal that could be announced as early as this week.