“It was clear from the beginning of the weekend that we had made progress in Barcelona, and I said that this was thanks to the efforts of the whole team who have worked very hard in the last few weeks to get us closer to the leading pace.
“This is only the first step, and we will have an aggressive approach for the races to come with further new developments. I know it will not be easy, but I am sure that we will now be able to have some exciting races, and as a driver I want this more than anything.”
Looking ahead now to Istanbul Park – a challenging track where Alonso has a strong record, with three rostrum appearances from as many starts – the man from Oviedo is confident
Renault's renaissance will continue apace.
“It reminds me of racing at other circuits,” he revealed, “such as Spa, for example. The circuit is very wide and gives good opportunities to overtake. There are also some special corners where you cannot see the exit, and that makes Istanbul quite unusual. Turn eight is especially interesting as it is a very long left-hander where we experience more than 4g. It's a fun circuit, and I hope I can take the most from it.
“It will be important to make the most of the practice sessions on Friday to make sure we are happy with the set-up. This is not something that worries me, as we can work well on hot or cool tracks and this aspect will make the weekend interesting. Our objective is to keep improving.”
