Fernando Alonso has already walked away from Renault once, and there is every prospect of the errant Spaniard doing so again.

Two grands prix into the new Formula One season, and the rumblings of discontent from Alonso can be heard loud and clear, and not for the first time in his career.

The 26-year-old finds himself in a car that has improved little on last year's struggling model, and is certainly a far cry from the one that brought him back-to-back world titles in 2005 and 2006.

Even during his ill-fated season with McLaren last year, Alonso at least had the opportunity to win races, and let us not forget come the conclusion he was a point shy of a championship hat-trick.

However, the fall-out from his internal feuds with Lewis Hamilton and team principal Ron Dennis, and the selfishness often displayed, culminated in Alonso unsurprisingly losing his job.

It is why Alonso again finds himself at Renault - not quite a last resort, but given the timing of his departure from McLaren, there were few options on the table at the time.

The problem Alonso now faces is after three years fighting at the front for race wins and titles, such a luxury has disappeared.

Renault are no longer the force of old, and instead of challenging Ferrari, McLaren and now even BMW Sauber, they are squabbling over the scraps with Red Bull, Williams and Toyota.

Alonso would have expected far more, but then he is arguably reaping what he has sown and perhaps should have paid greater heed to the old adage of 'never go back'.

It was certainly a sullen-looking Alonso that departed the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia on Sunday after just scraping into the points-scoring positions to add to his creditable fourth in the season-opening race in Australia.

He appreciates the year ahead is going to be a long, troublesome one on the track, and a win will come more through luck than by design.

So no surprises then Alonso is already casting an eye towards 2009, and more pertinently, an envious glance at Ferrari.

When the proverbial mess was hitting the fan at McLaren, it was a team he was being strongly linked with until out of the blue Felipe Massa was awarded a remarkable extension to his contract.

Ferrari bosses must now be questioning the wisdom of their own judgment in signing the Brazilian through to the end of the 2010 season.

Massa compounded his mistakes in Melbourne with another of his own making in Malaysia when he was comfortably on course for a runners-up spot behind world champion team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

The pressure is fast falling onto Massa's shoulders, and while he might claim he is in a comfort zone due to the length of his deal, he should remind himself Ferrari are the richest team on the grid.

They have the wherewithal to extricate themselves from any legal wranglings, pay him off and send him packing at the end of the season should he continue to perform like a raw novice.

That would open the door for Alonso, who despite his own two-year contract with Renault, apparently has a team performance-related escape clause.

Following Renault's under-achievements in Malaysia, Alonso made it clear "he always tries to be in the best car", believing a return to the French marque would address that goal.

He has been sorely mistaken, and while he concedes there is next year with Renault, in the next breath he doffs his cap to Ferrari by stating "it is clear their car is one of the best".

Alonso might as well hang a beggar's sign around his neck with the words 'Come and get me Luca' as he will be all too aware Ferrari president de Montezemolo is a known admirer.

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Eddie Jordan may have departed the grand prix scene a while ago now but he proved this week he is still a force to be reckoned with.

Jordan sold off his team in 2006, one that has morphed over the intervening period into its current Force India guise.

But the shrewd Irish entrepreneur retained land around the factory that remains based at Silverstone.However, due to a dispute that has been ongoing relating to the main entry road into the factory he paid for and that crosses his land, Jordan took matters into his own hands.

In the team's absence in Malaysia, Jordan had a number of concrete blocks deposited, so blocking access.

Jordan still has a knack of making people sit up and take notice.

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