Australia Saturday quotes: Renault

Fernando Alonso - 3rd: "I am pleased to be third because this is my best qualifying position so far this year. Even so, we still didn't achieve our maximum this afternoon, because I had Heidfeld's BMW in front of me during my quick lap, and he made a mistake in turn 13. That meant I caught him very quickly, and lost about half a second in the last two corners. The car felt very good though, and I am pleased with the consistent handling balance. In race conditions, I am confident we will be extremely competitive."

Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering: "It proved to be another very hectic qualifying session. In addition to all the usual factors, we had to keep a close eye on the weather this afternoon. We are satisfied with our results: Fisi put in another faultless performance, while Fernando was unlucky to hit traffic on his quick lap. Nevertheless, we have strong starting positions and there is certainly a possibility of some strategic differences in the race. We are expecting it to come down to a three-way fight between Renault, Honda and McLaren."

Denis Chevrier, Head of Trackside Engine Operations: "This is a very pleasing result after a day that was complicated by inconsistent weather conditions. The weather this morning meant we learned very little of use on the engine side, as the track was never properly dry. We therefore had to make our choices on gear ratios and cooling levels based on yesterday's running. When it came to qualifying, we have achieved a very strong team result, and it was pleasing to see both cars run trouble-free. We can legitimately hope our race strategy will prove extremely competitive, so the mood within the team is very optimistic this evening."