Briatore not involved in Alonso move
20/12/2005 - 12:46:01Renault boss Flavio Briatore has revealed he played no part in Fernando Alonso’s defection to McLaren – despite being the world champion’s manager.
McLaren yesterday shocked Formula One by announcing they have signed a contract with Alonso for 2007 and beyond.
As Alonso’s manager, it was assumed Briatore had played a crucial part in those negotiations.
But today he revealed Alonso made first contact with McLaren and hammered out a deal on his own, sidelining Briatore, the man who brought him into Formula One and helped him blossom into the sport’s youngest world champion.
In a statement, Briatore said: “I was at no time directly or indirectly involved in the conduct of these negotiations.
“Fernando made a personal decision that his future lies outside the Renault team when his current contract expires at the end of 2006. He contacted, and negotiated with McLaren at his own instigation.”
Briatore’s role had been questioned in some quarters, with suggestions his role as Alonso’s manager presented a conflict of interest with his position at Renault.
The flamboyant Italian’s response silences those doubts but raises new questions over his future as Alonso’s manager.
He already has a ready-made replacement for Alonso at Renault in Finnish youngster Heikki Kovalainen, another of his protégés, and is almost certain to promote him from tester to racer at the end of next season.
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