Reactions – It’s the beginning of the end for Renault’s testing

ING Renault F1 Team is back on track this week for a three-day work session at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain. The team is preparing to tackle the most important part of its winter development program with three three-day test sessions, while the official start of the 2008 season will take place in just a month’s time in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

For this first day, the team benefited from almost spring-like track conditions with temperatures that were certainly cool this morning but rose throughout the day to around 17°C. It was at the wheel of two R28 chassis that Nelson Piquet and his compatriot and the team’s third driver, Lucas Du Grassi, were able to complete their entire testing program without encountering any difficulties.

Nelson Piquet worked this morning on setting up his single-seater to improve its overall balance and feel comfortable on the Jerez circuit. He then managed to tackle a race distance by completing a series of long runs.

Nelson Piquet, 5th: « Once again, it’s a good day’s work that we conclude today. The more I drive, the more comfortable I feel and the more satisfied I am with the car’s performance. It’s good preparation for the first race. The car performed well all day and we didn’t have the slightest problem in completing our race distance, which is once again very satisfying. »

Lucas di Grassi, on his part, completed his first day of testing today as the third driver for the team. He took advantage of this session to familiarize himself with the R28 and was able to cover kilometers on the new R28 package and thus test its reliability.

Lucas Di Grassi, 13th: « It was my first session as a third driver and my first full day of testing on a real circuit, which changes everything in terms of sensations! I am very satisfied with my day, I did a lot of laps, in a good rhythm and I felt comfortable in the car and within the team that I already know very well. We did a long run this afternoon which went very well and I am now looking forward to getting back behind the wheel on Thursday to continue my program. »

Christian Silk, Chief Test Engineer: « The two objectives of this day were to complete a race distance with Nelson [Piquet] and to allow Lucas [Di Grassi] to feel comfortable in the R28, which he had never driven on a real circuit until now. Nelson started working on performance this morning by adjusting the car’s setup and then managed to complete another race distance this afternoon. The two objectives of this first day have been achieved, and the outcome is therefore encouraging. »

According to a statement from Renault F1 Team