BMW still unsure about Renault form

Renault have made major progress with their R27 in recent races and team boss Flavio Briatore said at the French Grand Prix that his sights were set on beating BMW Sauber to the best-of-the-rest tag behind McLaren and Ferrari.

But after Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld finished ahead of Renault at Magny-Cours, BMW motorsport director Mario Theissen wants to wait a while before judging just how big a threat Renault are.

"I heard about Renault's improvements in the press, but I am not sure if they were on the track as well," said Theissen. "They were certainly close (to us) in terms of time in Magny-Cours, but then you have to see the time gaps are generally close in Magny-Cours.

"So it would be better to see how it is here (at Silverstone) and at the Nurburgring, and then make a judgement on that. I got the feeling at Magny-Cours that we are ahead of Renault, and not just in terms of points."

Looking at the two teams ahead of BMW Sauber, Theissen said he was unsure about just how much quicker Ferrari and McLaren were.

"It was quite a surprise to see the two teams at the top performing so differently in the past races," he said. "We were close or even at the level of Ferrari at the overseas races (in Canada and the United States) at least in terms of lap times.

"Then Ferrari made a big jump and it looked like McLaren were then falling back in Magny-Cours. So I don't have a final view of where we are.

"I would estimate the gap has stayed the same more or less. But we have a programme in place for the entire season and it will include some improvements for the second half. But I don't know what the outcome is."