Briatore: 60 percent chance of Alonso deal

Spaniard Alonso split with McLaren this month after a bitter and controversial season where he finished third in the drivers' championship.

"Renault will definitely have different drivers next year. There is a 60 per cent chance Alonso will be with us," Briatore was quoted as saying on radio show GrParlamento by Italian news service ANSA.

Briatore's words appear to spell the end at Renault for drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen.

"We have an advantage (in taking Alonso) because we know him. Between today and the day after tomorrow it will be decided," Italian Briatore added.

Toyota announced earlier on Monday that Germany's Timo Glock will race for them next season, replacing compatriot Ralf Schumacher and further narrowing Alonso's options.

Alonso left Renault for McLaren last year after winning back-to-back drivers' titles with the French team.

"When you marry, split up and get back together it is not easy," Briatore said.

"We and he have the intention of finding a solution. This week will be decisive for the marriage.

"He can choose and he knows us. Last year he chose McLaren and made a mistake.

"We often forget these are 25-year-olds who have never lived their youths. They'd prefer to stay at home with their auntie than to go doing promotional work in Bangladesh or in Tokyo.

"Alonso knows us from a human point of view and that is important. The last season has been difficult for him. It may have even changed his personality. We'll talk, I want to see where he wants to go.

"At McLaren he arrived as the world champion and he was put in competition against a rookie driver: that way the relationship inside a team is put in danger. You can't have two primadonnas inside a team. You need to get behind one of the drivers.

"In this phase he is not thinking of the money. He is thinking of everything except money."

Briatore also commented on Formula One's new spy probe in which Renault have been charged with unauthorised possession of confidential McLaren information. The team have suspended an employee who had data on "old-style floppy discs".

"When we discovered everything, we informed McLaren and (world governing body) the FIA. We found out who had brought these disks. When you have a thousand employees it is difficult to notice what is happening," he said.