Ross Brawn has played down reports the Honda team aspires to put Fernando Alonso at the wheel of one of its formula one cars in 2009.

The Brackley based marque's team principal was quoted by foreign media this week as saying every team including Honda wants to work with Alonso, the former double world champion.

But subsequently to the BBC, Brawn admitted that, while Honda is "flattered" by the link to one of F1's best drivers, the team is not ready to work with the 26-year-old Spaniard.

"I think we've got to get ourselves sorted out as a team first before we start aspiring to drivers of that sort," he said.

Brawn said current team drivers Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button, who are both out of contract at the end of 2008, are "very good".

"Either of them have shown themselves capable of winning races," he insists. "Let's wait and see what happens this year."

Source: GMM