Alonso's podium is for Briatore

Fernando Alonso dedicated his third place finish in last night's Singapore Grand Prix to disgraced former Renault team principal Flavio Briatore. The Spaniard put in one of his most competitive showings of the season, finishing in his Renault behind race winner Lewis Hamilton and Timo Glock, and he said after the race: "I dedicate this podium to Flavio - he is at home but he is part of the success we had today."

The result will have been a boost to the French team after they were given a two-year suspended ban on Monday for race-fixing after Nelson Piquet Jr was told to deliberately crash during last year's race in Singapore to create a safety car period. Briatore, who had resigned prior to Monday's FIA hearing was banned for life from having any future involvement in the sport, and Alonso took the opportunity after the race to praise Briatore.

"The team has been fantastic, all season, we had a fantastic team," said Alonso. "The mechanics and engineers, everyone in the factory, did the maximum, and sometimes we got some good results and sometimes were a bit unlucky. It has been a difficult time for the team, now we put it behind us and we concentrate on the remaining races." gcaygill@thenational.ae