Renault Refuse to Get Complacent

Denis Chevrier - Head of Engine Operations: It was a great feeling, and especially when you have the kind of team spirit that we do here at Renault. This is a team with Renault tradition, stretching back thirty years at Viry, and a strong spirit that has grown between Viry and Enstone since 2002. Up on the podium, I felt very proud, not for myself but to be representing this group of people. It really brings home what it means to be a team member.

Q. What can you tell us about Giancarlo's retirement?

DC: We know that he encountered a problem in the top end of the engine, but we will only be able to analyse this in detail once the engine has been stripped. There is no doubt that his race was a technical failure for us - but not necessarily a reason to be unduly concerned for the future. Our job is one of engineering to the limit and statistically, these kinds of incidents can happen. The 2005 regulations are a big challenge, and the proof comes from the fact that an identical unit to the one that failed yesterday completed a full life cycle in the first two races with Giancarlo. These rules are a difficult exercise, and still involve technical risks, but we will be doing everything possible to ensure this failure is not repeated.

Q. Finally, how did you assess Fernando's performance?

DC: It was an extremely accomplished drive, with nothing left to chance. What we saw yesterday was not the same as a driver winning maybe one race in a season; in Bahrain, Fernando took pole, was fastest in both qualifying sessions, and backed up the promise with his race pace - just as he had done in Malaysia. Not only does he have the talent to be quick, but the ability to remain calm under pressure, and make intelligent decisions during the race. His performance was flawless.