Saturday – Hammer blow for the Renault team
It was under much cooler track conditions and a cloudy sky that this qualifying session took place. Rain even threatened to interrupt the session, but the track ultimately remained dry throughout the qualifications.
Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet both secured their spot in Q2 after a highly competitive first round. The second round ended up being even tighter, and Fernando and Nelson secured the 12th and 15th places.
The Renault drivers therefore expect to face a tough race tomorrow but are determined to seize any opportunity to score points in this first European Grand Prix in Valencia.
Fernando Alonso – 13th and 12th:
I am obviously disappointed with the result of this qualifying because I had other ambitions today. Tomorrow’s race is therefore expected to be more challenging but we are on a street circuit and anything is always possible in a race. So we must not get discouraged and instead work hard to try to develop a solid strategy and be prepared to face any eventuality tomorrow.
Nelson Piquet – 10th and 15th:
« I am disappointed with my qualification, I could have probably done a better time this afternoon. I also believe that our results in qualifications do not reflect our pace because Fernando didn’t make it into Q3 either even though we both had the potential. I will now work with my engineers and prepare myself to race aggressively in an attempt to move up in the rankings. »
Pat Symonds – Executive Director of Engineering:
« It’s inevitably a disappointing result; especially when considering all the preparation work that was put in place for this first event in Valencia. However, I am convinced that we had the potential to get into Q3 this afternoon, but potential doesn’t necessarily is result! Nonetheless, we will witness an interesting race tomorrow, and we saw during the last race held here in GT that the safety car could play a decisive role. We will therefore strategize to try to make the most of our situation. »
Denis Chevrier – Head of Engine Teams:
« Our position at the end of the qualifications is disappointing, especially since we thought we had worked well yesterday and our results seemed encouraging. But nothing is ever lost, we will fight and above all focus on developing a solid strategy and take advantage of the freedom we have at this level due to our positions on the grid. »
According to a Renault F1 press release
