Alonso to reveal plans after Brazilian GP

Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso says he's thrilled with his ride for 2009, though he won't reveal any more details about the contract until after this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

"(I'm) very happy," the Renault driver said on Thursday, adding that an announcement should be made next week.

Whether Alonso stays at Renault or moves to another team has been one of the most anticipated decisions of the year, because it will also have a bearing on the future of other drivers.

"With Alonso's indecision, other teams tend to wait, too," said Nelson Piquet Jr., Alonso's teammate.

Piquet Jr., son of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, may lose his ride if Alonso decides to stay at Renault. If the Spaniard moves to Honda, for example, than it's Rubens Barrichello who may have to find another ride next season.

Alonso won both of his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006 before moving to McLaren last year. But after being at odds with rookie teammate Lewis Hamilton and team principal Ron Dennis, Alonso moved back to Renault for this year.

He struggled in his return, winning only nine points in his first seven races. However, Alonso and Renault improved considerably in the last half of the season, with two wins and top-four finishes in six of the last seven races.

"I'm happy with the effort from the team to put a good car together at the end and to improve," Alonso said. "The season was difficult, but the team did a huge effort to put some new parts in the car, and some of them worked very well."

Alonso enters the year-ending Brazilian GP sixth in the standings with 53 points, 41 behind leader Hamilton. Alonso has 34 points more than teammate Piquet Jr., however.

Alonso said the lowest point of his season was at the European GP in Valencia, Spain, where Williams' Kazuki Nakajima crashed into him from behind at the beginning of the race.

"I was in front of my fans, in front of my people and I did only one lap," Alonso said.

The highlight was the victory at the Singapore GP.

"It was the first night race and we got the win," Alonso said. "It was completely unexpected."

Despite the problems with Hamilton last year, Alonso said the British driver was the clear favorite to clinch the title on Sunday against home-crowd favorite Felipe Massa of Ferrari.

"Seven points is a big lead," Alonso said.