Alonso Urges Renault to Improve Reliability

Spanish driver Fernando Alonso says his Renault team need to improve their reliability before the season opening Australian Grand Prix.

The new R25 car has been setting impressive times, but has also been hit by mechanical problems often since it was unveiled at the start of the month.

Alonso, who set a blistering pace at the Jerez circuit on Thursday, said the car is quicker than last year's R24, but claimed Renault are not yet ready for Australia.

"It [the car] is faster, we are setting good times on track but we have too many failures," Alonso told Spanish daily Marca. "We are not ready, we need to improve because we can't get to Australia like this. There is a lot of work to be done."

Alonso, who scored his maiden and so far only win in 2003 with Renault, has a contract with the French squad until the end of this season. The Spaniard, however, says he is not feeling extra pressure over that.

"The pressure is not on me, it's on Renault," he said.