Formula One news

Briatore stalls on driver, praises Alonso

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore is stalling on his driver line-up decision for the moment and at the same time heaping praise on Fernando Alonso, the man he hopes to lure back to his team at the end of the season.

Speculation in the paddock is suggesting that McLaren and Renault may swap Kovalainen (and a large sum of money) for Alonso and likely put Nelson Piquet Jr in the second Renault. However, Briatore would not be drawn to comment at Interlagos.

"Nelsinho is in our team and we haven't yet decided the line-up, the drivers for 2008 for the moment," Briatore said. "We have the option of Fisichella and Kovalainen and of course Nelsinho. We have time, we have time to see what happens and we don't want to decide immediately. We will see what happens in the next few days, few weeks, few months. I don't think we are in any rush to make a decision."

Briatore went on to heap praise on Alonso, "Hamilton has four points more than Fernando. Second place is good enough for Hamilton but Fernando, in very very difficult situations, is a guy who never makes a mistake. He handles pressure very very well and I believe it's 50-50 between Fernando and Hamilton. Four points is a lot and it's nothing. I remember last year we were fighting with Michael and Jean and it was always three points, four points difference. Anything is possible. First you need to finish in the race, and if both finish in the race, Hamilton has the four point advantage."

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