Renault optimistic after R29 test gains

Bob Bell is optimistic Renault will be able to re-establish itself as a consistent challenger for podiums and race wins in 2009 on the back of further “encouraging” progress during the Jerez test.
The Enstone-based squad appeared to be struggling with its all-new R29 car during its early pre-season outings and regularly propped up the times, but seemed to make improvements this week in Spain with Fernando Alonso setting the test’s second fastest overall time.
Its R29 featured several updates, including a new front wing and diffuser, as the team ramps up its development push for the first race and team technical director Bell says the upgrades produced tangible gains.
“We had a new front wing and a new diffuser, which were the main items we were evaluating,” he said.
“The results are encouraging and they are both giving us the performance gains on the track that we expected, which gives us a strong basis to move forward with.
“It also gives us confidence that we can use our systems back at the factory to design new parts, put them on the car and have them behave as we want them to.”
After winning both world titles for the second successive year in 2006, Renault fell back into the midfield for the best part of two seasons before making massive progress with the R28 in the second half of last year and winning two races late in the campaign.
Bell believes its encouraging testing pace means it should be in good shape to continue its recent upward trend at the start of the 2009 season.
“We feel reasonably comfortable that we have the foundations to have a good season, challenging for podiums and wins, and ultimately that means hopefully challenging for championships,” he said.
“We have always said that has to be our objective; we’re not here to make up the numbers, we’re here to win.
“However, it is early days and we won’t know where we stand until we get to Melbourne when everybody is acting under the same conditions with full-spec cars.”
He added that he had been particularly pleased that the recent aerodynamic improvements had not compromised the handling of the R29 for its two drivers.
“The drivability of the car was something we were concerned about, especially as the new aerodynamic regulations for this year don’t lend themselves to particularly drivable cars,” he said.
“However, with the feedback from Fernando [Alonso] and Nelson [Piquet], we’ve managed to steer the aerodynamic development of the car to make sure we are delivering performance, but not at the expense of drivability and consistency.”
Bell also believes the team has tightened up the reliability of its new car following early teething problems which restricted its track time.
“Overall we’ve made progress verifying our reliability for the Australian Grand Prix at the end of the month, but we never take it for granted and always try to be proactive and spot the next thing that could potentially go wrong before it does,” he added.