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Harmony reigns as new Renault is readied |
Nelson Piquet Jr has reiterated the view that there will be none of the disquiet that marred last year's McLaren assault when he teams up with double world champion Fernando Alonso at Renault this season.
Alonso and 2007 rookie team-mate were reportedly at loggerheads for much of the season, with the unrest spilling over and affecting the entire team, which was already mired in spying allegations. Matters came to a head at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Hamilton and Alonso each took turns to spoil the other's qualifying effort, and the Spaniard eventually left the team at the end of the season, just one year into a three-year deal.
Alonso, having seen his world crown pass to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, has since returned to Renault - only to find himself partnered by another rapid rookie in the shape of Piquet. However, the Brazilian, while ambitious, insists that he is not prepared to stir up trouble at Enstone.
"I met with Alonso during testing at Jerez last week and the relationship is good," he declared in an interview with Brazil's
O Globo newspaper, "We have the same objective this season - to help Renault claim podiums and victories - and, for that, he is indispensable. Even if we are competitive and I have the chance to fight for first position, I am certain that what happened last year between Alonso and Hamilton will not happen this year."
Renault's attempt to return to the forefront of Formula One begins today [Monday] with the first appearance of the new R28 in Valencia - a day ahead of the next group test at the same venue. Scheduled to debut alongside the latest output from Williams, Alonso will shakedown the new car confident that the
regie will be more competitive in 2008.
"I think we will have a good car because the development of the R27 was stopped in June so that full focus could be given to the new car," the double world champion told Spain's
Telecinco, "In all those months, something good must have been done. We will find out next week, but it will be better than 2007."
The Spaniard admitted that he had thought twice before re-committing to Renault, but was swayed by the amount of time that had been spent developing the 2008 machine.
"My fear is having a bad year and fighting for eighth position with no motivation," he confessed, "It is important to get up and fight for podiums and good results to keep motivated and push forward."
Alonso is expected to continue running the R28 through the opening days of the Valencia test, with Piquet Jr taking over on Thursday.
