GP – Renault got off to a good start

Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet were both able to complete their entire preparation program without encountering any problems, despite a precarious level of grip given the particularly low temperatures this afternoon.

The team concludes its day with encouraging data that should now be used to their advantage for tomorrow’s qualifications, which will once again be decisive.

Fernando Alonso – 4th and 9th:

« The track conditions were probably not ideal today, but they were the same for all teams and hardly disrupted our schedule. We had a busy work program as usual on Fridays. »

« I managed to complete all the planned tests on my car and recorded some interesting data. We still have a bit to improve, particularly regarding the overall balance of the car, but the results recorded today are encouraging for the rest of our weekend.

Nelson Piquet – 9th and 16th:

My day went normally. I had a fairly full schedule with setup tests this morning and tire evaluation in the afternoon. My main goal today was to feel comfortable in the car and make progress in its tuning.

« The track conditions were good and relatively stable even though it rained a little bit at the beginning of the afternoon. I think our tests today are good preparation for tomorrow, where I plan to make the most of the last practice session. »

Pat Symonds – Executive Director of Engineering:

« Today’s day was anything but obvious. We were expecting fairly low temperatures since the race takes place much earlier this year than we are used to, but the temperature conditions turned out to be even lower than we had actually anticipated. Consequently, the level of grip was rather precarious today, which led to several spins here and there on the circuit. »

Our two drivers still want to further improve the balance of their car, but I am satisfied tonight with the work we have accomplished. We were able to evaluate the two types of tires at our disposal and explore different setup solutions.

Denis Chevrier – Head of Trackside Engine Teams:

« As always, on a circuit where we come only once a year, our program for these Friday tests was rather busy. It was primarily about exploring different setup solutions and allowing the drivers to get their bearings on this circuit. »

« It’s difficult to draw any conclusions immediately after these tests. The only thing to note is that we were able to complete our entire program without encountering any problems and that we were only slightly hampered by track conditions during our tests. It’s therefore a good foundation for tomorrow. »

According to a Renault F1 press release