Renault report – 2 retirements but competitiveness

Renault experienced a very disappointing afternoon today at Montmelo during the Spanish Grand Prix as both Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet had to retire.

After an encouraging performance level in qualifying yesterday, the team could be satisfied to see Fernando Alonso keeping up with the pace of the leaders in the first laps of the race. The Brazilian, on the other hand, was involved in a collision and had to retire. A first disappointment for the team, as Piquet could have aimed for a good performance this weekend.

All of Renault’s hopes then rested on Fernando Alonso, but an engine failure forced the Spaniard to retire in turn. The team, very disappointed of course, is now preparing for the next race, which will take place in two weeks in Istanbul.

Fernando Alonso – Retirement:

« It’s a mixed feeling for me tonight because despite our engine problem, the car was really competitive, keeping pace with the Ferraris and BMWs. Our level of performance this weekend was a nice surprise for me and the rest of the team. We can now hope to compete in some great races in the coming weeks and I look forward to getting back on track in Turkey in two weeks. »

Nelson Piquet – Retirement:

« I made a first mistake by going off the track. Relegated far back in the pack, I then tried to attack, probably taking a bit too much risk. I am disappointed, that’s for sure, especially since we had made a lot of progress this weekend. But there’s no point in having regrets. I have to learn what I can from this race to avoid making the same mistakes in the future and focus now on Turkey. »

Flavio Briatore – General Director Renault:

« It’s disappointing to end this weekend without any points and especially with two retirements. Nelson’s race was compromised right from his off-track excursion and his subsequent collision with Bourdais. Fernando, on the other hand, drove impeccably. Despite this engine problem, we were able to see once again today that the car is now competitive and we must continue our efforts for the next race in Turkey. »

Pat Symonds – Executive Director of Engineering:

« We had real potential this weekend and we let our chance slip away. A fifth place with Fernando was reasonably feasible, and a good performance from Nelson would also have confirmed our return to form. We do not yet know the origin of the engine failure Fernando suffered. Despite our disappointment at the end of this race, we are also encouraged by our relative performance level. There is still much to do, and we will continue to work hard to develop the car. »

According to a Renault F1 Team statement