Alonso denies rift at Renault

Formula 1:   World champion Fernando Alonso insists the atmosphere within the Renault team - and his relationship with team-…

Formula 1:  World champion Fernando Alonso insists the atmosphere within the Renault team - and his relationship with team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella - is as good as ever despite his outburst ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Alonso appeared to criticise both Fisichella and Renault yesterday, in the wake of Michael Schumacher's win at last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

However today he claimed his comments were taken out of context.

"It's fantastic. Better than ever," he said of the mood within the team.

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"I think what you didn't understand yesterday was that I said it was my opinion and my feeling and I said that I understood completely the position of the team and I totally agree.

"I also said that every single person in the team is focused on winning the world championship but no-one listened to that.

"You take what you think is important and it's fantastic with Fisichella as well.

"It's a fantastic feeling, we never had any problem and because my opinion and feeling after China was that against probably the team, but not against Fisichella.

"The drivers do what we have to do, what the team said to us to do."

Alonso and Fisichella met with team leader Flavio Briatore last night following the press conference at which the Spaniard made his comments, with reports suggesting the trio had a clear-the-air meeting.

But Alonso claimed the focus was on repeating what was essentially a successful weekend in Shanghai in which Renault claimed second and third places to return to the top of the standings in the constructors' championship.

"We talked just about Japan and Brazil," said Alonso of the last two races of the season.

"We try to concentrate, we have to be as focused as we were in China when on Friday everything went well, on Saturday we were first and second and on Sunday we had some unlucky parts of the race.

"But the aim of the team, and what Flavio tried to motivate Fisi and me (with), was to repeat the same weekend, to go as hard as we can as always and try to beat Ferrari on Sunday."  PA