Alonso Will Race in 2003, Says Briatore

Spaniard Fernando Alonso will be a Formula One driver one way or another next season, Renault boss Flavio Briatore said on Wednesday.

The French team, with Jenson Button and Italian Jarno Trulli as their current drivers, have yet to decide next year's line-up but Alonso is strongly tipped to replace Britain's Button. The Spaniard, 21 later this month, has a long-term Renault contract but drove for Minardi last season before returning to the French team as test driver.

"Fernando will have no problem. Four or five teams are interested in him," Briatore said at a Renault lunch ahead of Sunday's French Grand Prix. "He will be in Formula One next year. We cannot block a driver like him. If he doesn't get a place at Renault, he will definitely find a place at another team."

The team boss said that Alonso, who has already tested for Jaguar, was a natural talent whose speed was evident from his first outing in a Benetton as a teenager. Briatore, who has a managerial interest in Alonso, hinted that Renault remained the Spaniard's best bet however.

He agreed that a driver with a long-term Renault contract was likely, for purely economic reasons, to be favoured over an equally good one without such a tie.

Podium Challenge

Button, 22, is reaching the end of a two-year loan to Renault from Williams, who have a long-term interest in him, and has been linked in the media to Jaguar, Toyota and British American Racing (BAR). Briatore praised the Briton, who has returned to form this season after a lull in 2001.

"This year the relationship between the team and Jenson has been super. He's done a super job," said the team principal. "He deserves a top team."

The French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, the 11th round of the season, is Renault's home race and the team are aiming for their first podium of the season. Renault are currently fourth in the Championship, their stated aim at the start of the season, and Briatore said he was satisfied with the performance so far.

The aim for the rest of the year and for 2003 was to close the gap between the top three teams - Ferrari, Williams and McLaren - and to challenge for the podium.

"For 2003 we have to be closer to the top three," he said. "Now is the hard part. We have to have a very efficient team, be very committed and work on the details."