JANUARY 31, 2006

Faure aims for another world title

Renault Sport chairman Patrick Faure says that the team must aim for more world titles this year.

Renault Sport chairman Patrick Faure says that the team must aim for more world titles this year.

"In terms of performance objectives, there can be only one," Faure said. "To be fighting for the world championship in the final races. We enter the year with an unchanged line-up in our management, our drivers and our technical team. Everybody at Viry and Enstone has been working to prepare a technical package capable of keeping us at the top. Complacency has no place at Renault. We are focused on repeating our successes."

The new RS26 features a new V8 engine but initial testing has been positive.

"We have worked on improving the car in every area," revealed technical direct Bob Bell. "We have integrated the challenges posed by the new V8 engine, and continued on our performance development path. The most striking visual difference comes in the smaller sidepods on the car, but the entire aerodynamic package is new. We will also use a 7-speed gearbox, to best exploit the power and torque characteristics of the new engine. Of course, we have also worked to maintain the positive handling characteristics that made the car easy to drive last year. The R26 is an aggressive statement from the team, and it says that we mean to stay on top in 2006."

The team will lose World Champion Fernando Alonso at the end of the year to McLaren but at the lanuch everyone was keen to say that this would not affect performance.

"Everything begins again this year. At this stage, it doesn't mean anything to say you can win the title - but I certainly want to be fighting for it. Renault has the potential and the team has the confidence that we can do it from last year. My first impressions of the car have been very positive, and we seem to be competitive with the quickest teams. My goal is to defend the number 1 on the nose of the R26."