Renault Duo Upbeat about R24

Spaniard Fernando Alonso has praised the new Renault R24 and says the old R23 which gave him his maiden Formula One win last season is already part of the past.

"From the very first time I drove the R24, I could tell it had the same characteristics as the R23," said Alonso, whose team officially launched the new car today in Palermo. "The handling is not much different, which is good news. My reference points were similar, and it was relatively easy to adapt to the car.

"After we had worked on the set-up and on the general balance, I was able to push a bit, and the car was immediately faster than the old one. This kind of performance is what you normally get after four or five tests: we managed it in three days, and I think that gives some idea of our potential.

"The new engine has more torque, and is also more powerful, but without the aggressive characteristics of the RS23 at high revs. This smoothness makes it easier on the corner exit. In my mind, there's no doubt: the R23 is already forgotten."

Alonso, who won last year's Hungarian Grand Prix, tested the new car at the Barcelona circuit last week, and finished the final day of testing at the top of the times.

His teammate Jarno Trulli had debuted the car just two days earlier, and the Italian is also confident the R24 will be competitive.

"I drove the R24 for two days at Barcelona, and had the privilege of completing its first run," said Trulli. "I felt confident in the car from the first few hundred metres. The driving position is ideal and after two years at Renault, I really feel at home in their cars.

"The results on the track have already confirmed what the computers at the factory had predicted. I generally prefer to wait a little before judging, but in spite of lots of little details that need to be sorted out, I am very optimistic for 2004."

Both Trulli and Alonso will be driving the old R23 with this year's color scheme on the streets of Palermo this afternoon.