Renault upbeat about first run with R28

The new car, which will be officially launched in Paris next week, completed 39 laps on its first day as Renault ran through system checks before completing a longer stint late in the day.

Technical director Bob Bell said: "We completed just under 40 laps and the car ran pretty much trouble-free - that is about as good a first day as you can expect with a new car.

"We would have completed our first run pretty much on time if it had not been for the weather, and I think that's a real tribute to the whole factory and all the hard work that has been put in to get this car here today. Overall, a really positive first day's work."

Alonso was equally happy with his first experience of the car, although conceded it was too early to give a verdict on how the car compared to the opposition.

"When you have your first day with a new car, you always have to take your time to check that all the systems are functioning correctly, and that is what we did today," he said. "We were able to lengthen our runs little by little and ended the day with a 14-lap stint.

"Everything went well, but it is still too early to try and compare our performance with that of other teams, and that was not the objective today. The good news is that we encountered few problems, and we will be able to continue our work tomorrow."