Renault thinks it will take Romain Grosjean a bit of time to get fully up to speed in Formula 1, but team figures are convinced that he has what it takes to become a successful grand prix driver.
Grosjean has been drafted in as replacement for Nelson Piquet, who has parted company with the team on the back of a disappointing first half of the season.
Although Grosjean's mixed fortunes in the GP2 Series this year have left some questions about his overall abilities, the team is sure he will do a good job.
Renault's director of engineering Pat Symonds said: "I think Romain has a great racing ability and we've seen that demonstrated many times in GP2.
"He's certainly one of the best in the series at overtaking and with the reverse grids he has shown that he's good at fighting his way through the field. It will take him a while to settle into Formula 1, but I'm sure that he will adapt well."
Symonds believes that Grosjean's presence with the team at races this year will prove to be a big help in getting up to speed with the way things work in F1.
"In the past he would have done lots of testing miles, but that's not the way of modern Formula 1 with the ban on in-season testing," he said. "However, he has done several aero tests already this year and has spent a lot of time with the team at races attending briefings and debriefings to learn the way we work and the personalities of the team."
Fernando Alonso believes the arrival of Grosjean at the team will deliver a fresh motivation boost for the outfit after the summer break, and he hopes the Frenchman can bolster the team's points haul.
"I think the break was good for everyone and the team has come back refreshed and ready to push hard for the final part of the season," he said. "I also have a new team-mate this weekend and I'm looking forward to working with Romain who I'm sure will do a good job for the team. I already have a good relationship with him and hopefully he can help us score some important points for the championship."
Grosjean says he has no nerves about his move up to F1 and has vowed to take a cautious approach to his first weekend.
"I've tried to make my preparation as normal as possible, although I have been training my neck muscles more than usual because Formula 1 is more demanding than GP2 on this part of the body," he explained. "I've also taken some holiday time during the summer break to make sure I am fresh and 100 per cent ready for Valencia.
"I've only driven the R29 in straight-line testing so my first race will be a learning experience. It's difficult to set myself an objective so my first priority will be to get comfortable with the car, build my confidence over the weekend and do the best job I can for the team."
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