(GMM) Renault’s Flavio Briatore has back-paddled on suggestions at Monza that the governing body and Ferrari are attempting to fix the outcome of the 2006 title.

In the context of Fernando Alonso’s controversial qualifying penalty, the team principal said the saga is worse than the Italian football scandal.

Briatore, whose comments are reportedly under investigation by the FIA for a possible disrepute charge, told Radiotelevisione Italiana: ”(They) have decided to give the world championship to Schumacher and that is what will be.”

But in a statement provided by the Renault press office, the team intimated that the media’s ‘reporting’ of the comments was at fault.

Briatore is quoted as saying: ”These comments … have been completely taken out of context.

”A jokey remark has been turned into something it was not intended to be.”

Alonso, however, did not retract his similarly critical comments. He said at Monza on Sunday evening: ”Now that Michael has announced his retirement, it is clear what they are trying to make happen.”

Ferrari’s Jean Todt tried to steer clear of the brawl, but appeared to offer some advice for the disgruntled pair.

”You don’t have to be in the business if you aren’t happy to do it,” he said.