Alonso: no regrets over Renault move

"No, not at all," Alonso told Cadena Ser radio when asked if he regretted his move.

"When I signed for Renault, or if had I signed for any other team, I knew that it was a team who had finished nearly two seconds behind the winning cars in the final race in Brazil.

"I was expecting that at the start of the year it would be impossible to close the gap and have a winning car from the first race.

"People started to raise the expectations too much, but I am where I was expecting to be and I have no regrets," he added.

The Spaniard has rejoined Renault after a difficult season at McLaren in 2007.

Renault endured a dismal 2007, scoring just one podium after two consecutive titles with Alonso.

The team have been unable to match the pace of the front-running teams in winter testing and Alonso reckons they are still around half a second behind McLaren or Ferrari.

The Spaniard also denied Renault were sandbagging.

"I just try to answer the questions with as much honesty as possible," he said. "And when I'm asked where are we now, I think it's from seventh to ninth, as I said last week, and that's what I really feel.

"Seeing the day to day and the testing at Jerez, and Valencia I really think we are lacking that bit to be fighting for the podium. We'll have to hope to reduce the gap if we work better than the rest. It's four tenths, half a second.

"With half a second you qualify in the top five, you start right in front, and you fight to be in the top five, and with any mistake from any other driver you are on the podium.

"And that's what the current difference makes and what we are trying (to reduce) as soon as possible."

Alonso reckons Renault are still trying to recover from their forced switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres last year.

"The team is better... But there are small details that make the car be better or worse," Alonso added.

"I think that the rule to have the same tyres that was introduced last year was a bit of a blow for Renault. They were already trying to adapt last year and we are still trying to do it today."