The confirmation of BMW-Sauber's driver lineup for 2009 means that Fernando Alonso will almost certainly stay at Renault next year.

That is the insistence of the Spanish press corps, who all but rule out the remaining options for the former double world champion: Honda and Toro Rosso.

The newspaper Diario AS, traditionally closely linked to the 27-year-old driver, said "Fernando believes that his current team will be more competitive" than BMW in 2009.

"We started (the season) far behind BMW, maybe one second, and now we are the same pace as them or even better," said Alonso, who fortuitously won the recent Singapore grand prix with the R28.

"We will keep on pushing. Three more races to go and next year more," he added.

AS said Alonso was also "not convinced" about BMW's working methods, and believes the extensive rule changes for 2009 could work more in Renault's favour.

Confirmation of Alonso's decision would clear the path for Honda to confirm its own 2009 lineup, with many observers expecting this to be done on the verge of the Japanese squad's home race at Fuji this weekend.

Source: GMM