Briatore: « 60% chance of working with Alonso »

There is a 60% chance that the double F1 world champion, Fernando Alonso, will return to the Renault team next season, the team’s boss Flavio Briatore said on Monday.

The Spaniard left McLaren after a rather controversial season where he finished second in the drivers’ championship, tied on points with his former teammate Lewis Hamilton.

« Renault will certainly not have other drivers next year. There is a 60 percent chance that Alonso will be with us, » affirmed Briatore.

« We have an advantage (by taking Alonso) because we know him well. The final decision will be made from one day to the next, » added the Italian.

Toyota announced earlier this Monday that the German Timo Glock will be their race driver next season in place of his compatriot Ralf Schumacher. With this announcement, another option has disappeared for Fernando Alonso.

Alonso left Renault for McLaren last year after winning both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles consecutively with the French team.

« When you get married, get separated, and eventually get back together, it’s not easy, » declared Briatore in a humorous tone.

« Fernando and the team intend to find a solution. This week will be decisive in view of a potential future contract.

« He has the choice but he knows us and we know him well. Last year, he chose McLaren and made a mistake. »

« We often forget that these 25-year-old guys never actually experienced their youth. They might have preferred to stay at home with their aunt rather than go promote professional activities in Bangladesh or Tokyo, » he continued, still with that touch of humor.

« Alonso knows who we are from a human perspective and that’s important. The last season was difficult for him. His personality may even have been affected. We are going to talk, I want to see where he wants to go. »

« Upon his arrival at McLaren, he came as a world champion and was pitted against a rookie driver: this way, relationships within a team are endangered. »

Briatore also commented on the new espionage case in F1 in which Renault was accused of unauthorized possession of confidential McLaren information. The team suspended an employee who had data on floppy disks.

« When we discovered all this, we informed McLaren and the FIA. We found out who was behind these diskettes. When you have a thousand employees, it’s difficult to notice everything that is happening, » he concluded.