Fernando Alonso’s home on the 2008 grid will be decided by early December, a source from within the Spaniard’s close band of advisors revealed on Tuesday.
“Be assured, he is not going to be without a cockpit,” the source told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo.
The comments follow Flavio Briatore’s claim on Monday that the 26-year-old Spaniard is set to decide before the end of the week whether or not to return to Renault next year.
The Alonso source continued: “We are on schedule. Within 15 days everything should be figured out.”
He also played down suggestions that Renault is the only team contractually free to accommodate Alonso in 2008.
“Until March, any team can change any driver,” the Alonso source said.
According to speculation, the only stumbling block to Alonso’s Renault return are rumours that the Spaniard has already agreed to switch to Ferrari in 2009.
Briatore is therefore understandably reluctant to allow Alonso to use Renault as a temporary solution only for 2008.
The Spanish newspaper El Pais quotes Briatore as saying: “Alonso believes that Ferrari waits for him for 2009. But I see this being difficult for him.
“Each team must have one great driver who fights for the (drivers’) title and a second to help with the constructors’.
“Ferrari already has Raikkonen, but I suppose everything is possible,” Briatore added.
The Italian television station RAI, meanwhile, quotes the Renault boss as admitting: “Toyota and Red Bull also want him. He is very attractive and all have made offers.”
