GP – Alonso reignites Renault’s bid for 4th place

Renault fought tooth and nail during a particularly competitive Turkish Grand Prix this afternoon and scored three points in the constructors’ championship thanks to Fernando Alonso’s sixth place, while Nelson Piquet secured the 15th place after a very commendable performance.

7th and 17th on the grid, after qualifying, the team hoped to score some points this afternoon at Istanbul Park. After a fantastic start from Fernando Alonso, who gained two places, the team could therefore afford to believe. Nelson, on the other hand, had a more complicated start to the race, as he had to avoid a collision, which then set him back in the traffic.

As the race went on, Fernando was clearly positioning himself for the sixth place, which he eventually secured. Nelson, after a nice comeback, finished his fifth Grand Prix in 15th position, following some impressive moves at the wheel of his R28.

After confirmation this weekend of its recent progress, Renault is now preparing to compete in one of the most atypical races on the calendar, in Monaco, in about two weeks.

Fernando Alonso – 6th:

« We were in the rhythm this weekend and scored some valuable points today, which clearly confirms our recent progress and boosts everyone’s morale in the team! I got off to a good start because I knew it would be crucial for my race, and then everything went smoothly. »

« Our strategy paid off, the car responded well, the tires worked well, so I am satisfied. We still have work to do to catch up with the best but we are on the right track. »

Nelson Piquet – 15th:

« I am satisfied with my performance today. My race was expected to be tough, I had to avoid the collision at the start, which delayed me further, but then I followed our strategy to the letter and everything went well. The most important thing for me was to finish the race, which allowed me to gain more experience. »

« I would have liked to climb higher that’s for sure, but I think my weekend was decided yesterday during qualifying. I’m now planning to take advantage of what I’ve learned this weekend to tackle the next Grand Prix in Monaco, which promises to be an atypical race!

Flavio Briatore – Managing Director Renault:

« It’s always quite pleasant to note signs of progress. Fernando had a remarkable start and ran a very good race to finally score important points for us. »

« Nelson’s race promised to be difficult due to his position on the grid, but he showed consistency and managed to maintain the pace in the pack. We are now confident; we are now entering a new phase that will allow us to catch up with the three leading teams. »

Pat Symonds – Executive Director of Engineering:

I believe we did our best today. Fernando’s race was mainly against Webber, but it’s also quite encouraging to see that we were a bit closer to the BMWs once again, even though there’s still a gap we need to close.

« Nelson’s race was going to be difficult, we were prepared for it even though there were few options in terms of strategy. However, he had a great race and managed to defend his position, especially against Heikki. »

According to a Renault F1 press release