16/10/2006
NEWS STORY
Asked at today's press conference to confirm a three-year sponsorship deal with ING, Renault boss Flavio Briatore dismissed suggestions that the French team might allow Fernando Alonso to 'settle' for a point or two at Interlagos, rather than risk losing the World Championship to Michael Schumacher.
"We are going there to win the race," he insisted. "It is like in football, if you go into a match looking for a nil-nil result you normally lose the match.
"The team is strong," he continued. "For one point we have the Drivers' Championship, and for a few more we have the Constructors' Championship. If we win the race we have everything. So we go to Brazil to try to win everything. It will be interesting to see the race on television and it will be a good show."
The Italian also took a swipe at the sport's governing body, after a season in which his team has suffered a number of knock backs, not least the banning of its controversial mass dampers system. Having previously suggested that the championship was being manipulated by the FIA, Briatore said today: "I believe Renault deserve the championship because Renault was very strong all through the season.
"We are not completely happy with what happened in some cases this season between the federation and another team, but if it was to keep the championship interesting, then they did a good job."
Looking ahead to this weekend's race, he added: "I have seen the weather forecast and it is 50 percent chance of a wet race. It will be interesting, but it will be a fair race and good fighting between Michael and Fernando, and good fighting between Renault and Ferrari.
"I believe the spectators need this," he continued. "It is big business, it will be a big television event, so let's have fun and fight."