JULY 20, 2002

Renault to announce Alonso at 4.30pm

THE Renault F1 team will announce this afternoon that Fernando Alonso will partner Jarno Trulli in the team next year. This means that Jenson Button is out of a drive next year despite the fact that he has scored more than twice as many points as the Italian driver, who is managed by Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore. Alonso is also managed by Briatore.

Button, who is not managed by Briatore, will now have to look elsewhere for a drive.

The move is unusual as it is the first time on which Briatore has placed two of his contracted drivers in the same team, a move which had been thought unlikely as it will devalue one or the other.

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