Double F1 champion Fernando Alonso has said that his Renault team needs to make a decision on its focus after the British Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso has said that his Renault team has until the British Grand Prix to make the R28 a genuine contender or start to focus on providing him with a race winner in 2009.

The Spaniard has made no secret of his desire to return to the top of the podium and, while he effectively wrote off 2008 as a transition year following his return to Enstone, he wants to be winning races again next season. To that end, he has been linked to moves to teams currently taking the honours in grands prix, with BMW being returned to the list in Canada at the weekend, joining Ferrari, with whom Alonso is rumoured to have already signed for 2010. However, Alonso's current contract ties him to Renault for another year - unless get-out clauses can be activated - and he is keen the regie can turn its fortunes around.

"It's a difficult decision, and I have a strong opinion about it," he told the BBC, insisting that developments planned for the next two races in France and Britain should determine how the team approaches the rest of the year, "After Silverstone, you have to think about it. The decision has to be made sooner or later."

The Spaniard's optimism for the remainder of 2008 was boosted by his showing - albeit short - in the Canadian Grand Prix, where he kept pace with eventual runner-up Nick Heidfeld at mid-distance. Admittedly, the German was heavily fuelled following a pit-stop, but Alonso, who was reckoned to have gone to the grid with more fuel on board than most, was able to harry the BMW Sauber before spinning off on the treacherous Montreal surface.

"I think it is a miracle that a Renault is fighting against a BMW," the 26-year old said, despite ruing the team's decision to pit him during the safety car period, "I could have backed off, but I try to go at the limit and thus there is a bigger chance of making mistakes.

"I was third when I went off the track, but it was a tricky position because I had to stop again and I had cars behind that weren't going to stop. I was told over the radio that I would be eighth or ninth once I stopped for the second time, so I had to try everything I could. I was trying to change my line to try to overtake Heidfeld and I got on to the dirty part and went off. I am not disappointed, these things can happen in the races and it is better they happen this year and not another."

Renault's director of engineering Pat Symonds has said that he is confident of the Anglo-French team developing its car more quickly than its rivals over the rest of the year, but Alonso is keen that ambitions are kept in check in an effort to maximise the squad's potential for 2009.

"We have a couple of developments coming for Magny-Cours and Silverstone, so let's wait and see what these do to the car," the double world champion said, "Maybe, at those tracks, it will be good, so we can carry on developing this car. But, if it's not good, maybe the season will already be over, so it's time to think about next year."