Renault 'Committed to Formula One and Briatore'

Renault committed themselves to Formula One for at least three years on Saturday while stressing their support for team boss Flavio Briatore.

The company's F1 president Patrick Faure also ridiculed rumours that retired four-times World Champion Alain Prost was being lined up for a managerial role at the team.

"This is pure nonsense," he said. "I am a good friend of Alain, I meet him regularly, and there has never even been one word on this hypothesis. There is absolutely no ground for this rumour, it will not happen."

Renault's Formula One plans have been questioned after comments attributed to future chairman Carlos Ghosn appeared in French newspapers in the last month.

But Faure, speaking at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, said: "We are going to negotiate very quickly with our drivers, with our sponsors, the renewal of long-term contracts and sign a certain number of deals for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

"So clearly if we are doing that it means we are there long-term."

Faure said Briatore, whose future has also been a source of media speculation, had a contract until the end of 2005.

"Every year he has reached all his targets. If in 2005 he does the same...I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be with us in 2006."

Formula One is struggling to retain 10 teams for next season, with Ford announcing last month that they were quitting after Sunday's race at Interlagos and selling their Jaguar team and engine manufacturer Cosworth.

French newspapers had quoted Ghosn, currently Nissan chief executive, as saying that it was "not a given that we will be in Formula One beyond 2005.

"We will have to look at the interest for us in investing such sums in F1. If Renault does not make its mark in winning races and championships, I don't see why we should be there."

One Italian sports newspaper, meanwhile, reported this week that Briatore and Renault were on the verge of parting company. Faure told reporters that Renault, third in the Championship, needed to do better.

"The target is to be next year really fighting for the title...being either close to the first one or being first ourselves."

Renault are one of three teams to win this season, Italian Jarno Trulli triumphing in Monaco.

He then fell out with the team, however, and moved to Toyota, being replaced for the final three rounds by Canada's former champion Jacques Villeneuve. Since July only Spaniard Fernando Alonso has scored points for the team.