Briatore insists his drivers are team players

McLaren hit out after TV viewers heard Renault tell Fernando Alonso he was clear to pass team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella in the Turkish Grand Prix.

But Briatore said the accusations were designed to destabilise Renault.

He said: "If others think they need to try and pressure us by saying that it's a good sign, but it doesn't bother us."

Briatore said the fact the cameras picked up what Renault were saying to their drivers during the 21 August race proved his team were above board.

Our team doesn't believe in unnecessary secrecy, and we have nothing to hide Flavio Briatore

He said: "I am surprised nobody has asked why viewers heard those comments on live TV?

"The answer is that our team doesn't believe in unnecessary secrecy, and we have nothing to hide.

"Giancarlo is a team player. He had problems with his tyres in the first laps, and Fernando was faster - something we told him over the radio.

"So when Fernando got alongside him, he didn't fight his team-mate. It is not about team orders, it is about working as a team."

Briatore also insisted he was not worried by McLaren's current pace, which has seen Kimi Raikkonen score consecutive victories to move to within 24 points of world championship leader Alonso.

Last week, Renault engineering boss Pat Symonds said the team were "concerned".

But Briatore said on Monday: "We have already shown we can win this year, with both drivers.

"Our sport is not about dominating at one moment or another, but about scoring points progressively through the season.