Formula One: Fisichella Abandoned Me, Says Alonso

Fernando Alonso yesterday accused the Renault team of "deserting him" in some races this season, in particular the Chinese grand prix when he felt his team-mate, Giancarlo Fisichella, did not help him in his battle for the lead against Michael Schumacher's Ferrari.

Alonso's outburst on the eve of first practice for the Japanese grand prix on Sunday added fuel to the controversy ignited by his critical remarks after finishing second in Shanghai on Sunday. Yesterday Alonso said he had been annoyed at Fisichella's tactics. "I fought Fisichella in the last corner, I overtook him once, he overtook me and I overtook him again. These risky moments, with three races to go in the championship, with your team-mate is not good enough."

He said that although the team provided a fantastic car "on some occasions in a different view or a different approach I have felt a little alone." Yet the Spaniard denied any rift with the team after Shanghai, where he lost the championship lead after suffering tyre problems.

"It is not a problem at all with anybody," he said. "What I felt [in China] was that maybe I had a problem with the car, which was a specific problem for 10 or nine laps, and I felt alone, for sure.

"I was first and my team-mate was second, but then they [Fisichella and Schumacher] caught up and then they were gone. They came to me, they overtook and they were gone. After I recovered the pace, they were too far. It is like you are in the Tour de France in the mountain, you have a puncture, and your team and your rival go uphill and don't stop. That was a little bit difficult to understand."

Renault declined to comment on the matter but Fisichella said he was puzzled by Alonso's remarks and emphasised that he was not obliged to help him on the track. "Obviously I race for myself and I don't race for Fernando," he said. "If there is a possibility to help then it is OK, but I cannot stop my car on the track to let him past.

"For me there is no problem at all. I will talk with him but if he is happy, OK; if he is not happy then I don't mind. It is important to be together until the end of the season."

Meanwhile Renault have reshuffled their pit-stop crew after the problems that marred Alonso's second pit stop in China last weekend. The Spaniard lost 10 seconds at the stop as a result of the mechanic working on the right rear wheel failing to realise that the nut had come out of his gun when removing the wheel.