FLAVIO Briatore has stirred the Formula One pot by offering Fernando Alonso sanctuary at Renault.

The Renault boss says he 'adores' the man who won back-to-back titles for the French team before switching to McLaren.

"Would I like him? Of course I would," Briatore told Marca sports daily.

"I could never deny the fact that I adore Fernando. We had a special relationship at Renault and it was always transparent.

"Although he signed for McLaren, we continue to be friends. I think everyone would want Fernando because he is exceptional. But he is under contract."

Alonso's future at McLaren is up in the air owing to his increasingly tense rivalry with rookie teammate Lewis Hamilton, who has exploded onto the scene to lead the drivers' standings.

Sources told The Times that there was still 'no trust' between Alonso and the McLaren management in the wake of the fiasco during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, when the Spaniard tried to prevent the Briton taking pole.
Briatore feels the matter is affecting Alonso's performance.

"I don't like to see him unhappy. In this type of work, calmness and a serene approach are important. And, at the moment, Fernando is not serene," said Briatore.

"I think from a sporting point of view, he is not giving it all he has.

"If he is free from his contract tomorrow, I think Renault, Toyota, Williams, everybody would be interested."

Alonso had said before Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix that as long as McLaren had a winning car, he would stay with the team.

But sources close to the two-time world champion, whose S$30 million contract ends next year, say he may yet try to leave the team at the end of this season.

Asked about this after the race in Istanbul, one informed observer told The Times: "It's a possibility."

Alonso has taken serious flak in recent days over his claims that McLaren favour Hamilton over him and that the team have not rewarded him for the work and expertise he has brought to them.

This has been interpreted by his critics as Alonso demanding to be treated as the No 1 driver, something that Ron Dennis, the McLaren team principal, has ruled out.

Niki Lauda, the Austrian three-time world champion, told the BBC: "Instead of complaining, moaning and bitching, Alonso needs to concentrate on driving quicker.

"My worry is that if he continues to find the reasons somewhere else, and not in his right foot, he will lose out, because Hamilton is doing a perfect job, simply concentrating on his driving, and he's quick. It's what Alonso should do."

There is also a growing view in the paddock that the Spaniard is genuinely worried that Hamilton is the better driver.
One insider told The Times: "I think he knows that Lewis is faster than him. Talk to the engineers who know, the guys who crunch the numbers, and it looks pretty much as though Hamilton's quicker."

Alonso was outdriven in Turkey by Hamilton and was handed third place only after one of Hamilton's tyres exploded with 15 laps to go.

That allowed the Spaniard to cut his teammate's lead to just five points with five races to come. Hamilton has 84 points.

Ferrari's one-two finish in Turkey has also underlined the threat both Felipe Massa (15 points behind Hamilton) and his teammate, Kimi Raikkonen (16 points behind), still pose to the McLaren drivers.

With 50 championship points still on the table, a late-season push by Ferrari and further tensions at McLaren could see the title go to the Prancing Horse team.