Renault Excited by F2005 Arrival

Renault have fulfilled pre-season expectations that their new car is the class of the field, after winning both of the opening Grands Prix of the season and, although World Championship leader Fernando Alonso declared it vital that the outfit scored as many points as possible while Ferrari were on the backfoot, Renault are eager to compare themselves to Ferrari's new machine.

Speaking after another good week of testing for Renault, with test drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Franck Montagny on duty at Paul Ricard, the team's chief test engineer Christian Silk told autosport-atlas: "Our car will work very well in Bahrain and the new Ferrari will come - which will be great.

"I would think that they will be very fast, which was why it was a pity that we only got one car to the finish in the last race. We needed points finishes while we could get them - and we were capable of having a 1-2 finish or a 1-3 finish in Malaysia."

Silk also expressed his delight at the R25 car and the way in which his test team can work with it. "We have done our homework and, touch wood, there is no weakness in the car at the moment," he said. "Every area on a car has to work for it to be good and we have improved in so many areas on both the chassis and engine. It is truly good in all areas now.

"Also I think we have got the strongest drivers line-up at the moment and they are also very happy with the car. We cannot deny the fact that the R24 was difficult to drive last year, and both Franck and Heikki have confirmed that too."

Alonso and Fisichella currently lead the Drivers' World Championship standings, with Renault comfortably clear at the head of the Constructors' Championship.