SEPTEMBER 6, 2006

Renault re-aligns aspirations

Renault F1 loses Fernando Alonso at the end of the current season and the team was somewhat caught out by the Spaniard's move to McLaren and, unable to hire a top name driver, has finally settled on Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen, with test drivers Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet Jr.

The team is thus in no real position to challenge for World Championship honours in 2007 and so has taken the strategic decision to begin a new era and adjust expectations accordingly. Thus the new line-up is being portrayed as "the beginning of a new era".

Many things remain unchanged, notably managing director Flavio Briatore, who is staying for 2007 and 2008. The engineering team will remain largely unchanged with Bob Bell and Pat Symonds overseeing activities in Britain, and Andre Laine and Rob White in charge in France.

"I am counting on the determination, talent and effectiveness of Flavio and the entire Renault F1 team, under the presidency of Alain Dassas, to once again take Renault to the forefront of Formula 1," says Renault boss Carlos Ghosn.