Alonso still happy with Ferrari - Briatore

Flavio Briatore has defended Fernando Alonso amid Ferrari’s current slump.

After Shanghai, where the Spaniard bluntly assessed the "slow" 2011 car after being outperformed by his teammate Felipe Massa, La Stampa newspaper accused Alonso of being "unmotivated".

"There was no trace of the fighter (in China)," said the Italian newspaper.

Brazilian journalist Livio Oricchio added: "Alonso, the most complete driver, in my view, showed signs of being a bad loser."

Even Adrian Campos, a former manager of Alonso, told Spain’s SER radio: "In China had gave the impression of being very conservative, like he had said to himself just to bring the car home."

But the 29-year-old’s current manager Briatore told Italian television Sky Sport: "The driver is important but the car even more so. The problem with Ferrari is the car."

He denied Alonso is losing his motivation.

"Fernando wanted to be with Ferrari at any cost. He is more than satisfied and will do everything he can to get a more competitive Ferrari," Briatore insisted.

The flamboyant Italian said Maranello based Ferrari has the "equipment and resources" to improve its situation and is simply "missing a little creativity".

But Campos, who founded the struggling HRT, said of Ferrari: "They seem to be lost, lacking in ideas. Once they were the reference but clearly no longer."