Renault has returned to the highest level

Renault clinches second place in the Brazilian Grand Prix, the final event of the 2008 World Championship, held today at Interlagos. Local driver Nelson Piquet unfortunately had to retire at the third corner due to more than challenging track conditions. The long-feared rain finally hit the Interlagos circuit shortly before the start, causing a ten-minute delay to allow teams to switch to rain tires for the start of the race. When the lights went out, Fernando Alonso attacked aggressively, while Nelson Piquet had to give up, a victim of the very precarious grip conditions.

As the race progressed, track conditions kept improving, allowing Fernando to opt for dry tires and move up to third place after the first round of pit stops. A second stop on the 40th lap then allowed the Spaniard to secure second place. A rain shower at the end of the race made the finish of this Brazilian Grand Prix particularly thrilling; Fernando Alonso returned to the pits one last time to switch to standard wet tires, clinching the second place definitively!

After a superb end to the season, Renault is now preparing to do its utmost to prepare for the 2009 championship in the best possible conditions, starting with a three-day test session in Barcelona in mid-November.

Arriving in second place, Fernando Alonso acknowledges the difficulties of this race: « I am very happy with this second place. The conditions were difficult but we managed to take advantage of them. We did our best, the team made the right decision at the right time, and I managed to hold off Räikkönen until the end. It’s a fantastic result for the team to close the season! »

Nelson Piquet, who retired, remains in the dark about the circumstances of his accident: « I don’t really know what happened, whether I was hit, if I just lost control. I couldn’t see much and I lost the rear of my car in turn number 3. It’s really frustrating not to have been able to compete in this Grand Prix because a lot of things happened and we might have been able to benefit from them as well. But there are no regrets and I want to thank the team for their support this weekend again! »

Flavio Briatore, Managing Director of Renault, reviews the 2008 season: « I want to thank all the team members. We had a superb end to the season and Fernando scored more points than any other driver over the last eight races. It was important for us to show that Renault could return to the top level, and I want to thank the whole team, Fernando, and Nelson for their efforts throughout the championship. »

Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering, added: « How could we have hoped to do better for this end of the season; not only for the team but also for everyone in Formula 1. Our result today further highlights the fantastic work that has been done in our factories. We are now looking forward to competing in the 2009 Australian Grand Prix. Congratulations to Lewis and Ferrari! »

According to a statement from the Renault F1 Team