Alonso Q & A
By Renault F1
March 10 2008
Question and answer session with Renaults F1's number one driver Fernando Alonso ahead of this weekends opening Grand Prix of the season in Australia. Alonso gives his views on working with the team over winter since his return and expectations for 1st race of the season
You rejoined the team in January to prepare for the 2008 season. How did you find your first few weeks of work with the team?
They have been very busy! All has gone well in terms of my arrival and
it felt a bit like coming home. I already know everybody; I know the
way the team works and I was able to start working well with the team
immediately, right from the first test. As with any new car we worked
hard on the reliability and then started working on the development
towards the end of February with the arrival of the latest parts. I did
nearly fifteen days of testing between January and February so that I
could arrive in Australia as ready as I can be for the new season.
Do you think that the team has succeeded in
overcoming the problems of 2007 and will you be ready to fight at the
front of the field at the beginning of the season?
The team was far behind in 2007 and it would have been
impossible to overcome that gap this winter. The other teams have also
progressed and so it will certainly take a little time to reach a
higher level, but I am convinced that we have the potential to get
there. The team has shown in the past that they know how to produce a
winning car; we just need to continue our efforts and to make sure we
don’t lose ground.
After winter testing, which teams do you expect to be strongest at the start of the championship?
It’s
difficult to say with certainty before the first session in Melbourne.
All the teams have worked on different programmes during winter testing
and so we cannot really predict how things will be. I think that
Ferrari will be the team to beat during the first few races – they were
strong during 2007 and seem to have performed well over the winter. The
first race will be the first real chance to see how the teams compare
with each other, and we will then have a better idea of our
competitiveness.
The first race will not be easy, but I am looking forward to it and the beginning of the championship. Many challenges await the ING Renault F1 Team, but we have worked hard these last few months and it is now time for the racing to begin. I know that a win or a podium in Australia will be difficult, but you never know what can happen during the race. It may rain; the race may take place on a drying track and you can have the chance to spring a surprise. If an opportunity presents itself, I am ready to seize it.