Michael Schumacher's manager has dismissed as "absolute ineptitude" a suggestion that Renault driver Fernando Alonso would replace the five-time champion at Ferrari in 2005.

"Michael has a contract with Ferrari until 2006 and he is certainly going to see it out," Willie Weber told German sports agency SID on Wednesday. "We've repeated that on many occasions," he added.

Weber was reacting to reports Tuesday from Spain linking the 22-year-old Spanish F1 star to Ferrari in two years time.

And while Alonso's agent, Adrian Campos, agreed on Tuesday that reports of a tie up with the Italian stable were "just speculation" he added the caveat that "in 2005 anything's possible."

Alonso became the youngest ever grand prix winner in Hungary in August, and is placed sixth in the driver's championship going into the season-closing Japan GP.

Weber said he did not know whether Ferrari were aiming to bring Alonso in as a replacement for Rubens Barrichello, but he hoped the Brazilian would stay on as Schumacher's number two.

"Rubens is an excellent team man for us, I don't see why Ferrari would replace him."