Fisichella Can Aim High at Last

Giancarlo Fisichella feels, for the first time in his Formula One career, that he can talk seriously about winning races and the Championship.

This year promises to be a real break from the past for the highly-rated Italian, who has spent previous seasons yearning to be with a top team rather than ones regularly lapped by champions Ferrari.

Now, back at Renault after leaving in 2001 when they were still Benetton, he has the car he wanted.

The French team have set multiple victories and a Championship challenge as the target for the year ahead after finishing third in 2004 and Fisichella is a key part of that planning along with Spanish teammate Fernando Alonso.

"It's my dream," said the Roman, whose one Grand Prix win to date was against the odds for Jordan in an accident-strewn Brazilian race of 2003, when asked whether he felt he could be champion.

"It's on our schedule and it's our target," he added at the launch of the team's 2005 car in Monaco, scene of their only win last year, on Tuesday.

"I hope so. I will do my best to improve on last year's results, our place in the Constructors' Championship. Renault's target is to win."

Wrong Moves

Fisichella's career has been full of wrong moves, leaving Jordan before that team's best two seasons and joining Benetton when their glory days were over. He then left before Renault moved up the grid, returning to Jordan as that team went into decline.

Sauber last season finished sixth overall.

Now he is full of confidence that the tide has turned.

"It is really good," he said. "I feel very strong physically and mentally especially because I now have the chance to fight for the win and to be a driver for a top team.

"This year I know I have a better chance than in the past. I will try to make it everywhere and to score lots of points, to win some races and to do my best everywhere."

A timing error meant the Italian had to wait days before discovering he had won in Brazil two years ago, prompting Renault team boss Flavio Briatore to comment on Tuesday that he hoped to see Fisichella celebrating victory on the same day as the race this year.

The 32-year-old, who still has plenty of friends in the team from his Benetton days, said he felt he was a better driver if not necessarily any faster.

"I have more experience and for sure I am a little better, but I don't want to say I am quicker. I can do better during the races because I can control the car a bit more and I can drive with a bit more confidence," he said.

"It is going to be very important for me to be quick straight away," added Fisichella. "I started my training very early this year to be ready for the first race. I feel very strong mentally because I know I have a good chance and a good car."

He and Alonso are both keen soccer fans and have been playing together, honing their skills at a recent training camp at Briatore's Kenyan home. They clearly get on.

"I'm a defender, he's an attacker so we play very well together," said Alonso.

The season starts in Australia on March 6.