A contract will not be enough to keep Fernando Alonso at Renault beyond 2009, team boss Flavio Briatore has admitted.

After months of intense speculation, the French team announced last month that the 27-year-old Spaniard has signed to stay with Renault next year and also in 2010.

But in comments published by the news agency EFE, Italian Briatore said the only guarantee of keeping the former double world champion is a ‘winning car’.

"We cannot offer him anything else," he explained. "If you have a bad car, you won't keep any good driver.
"

Briatore added: "Our goal is to be world champions again in 2009 together with Fernando, and I think we have a good chance."

Source: GMM
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I'm glad he's being optimistic, but I think he also knows that if the car isn't competitive, Alonso will likely leave the team for Ferrari.