The ING Renault F1 Team today officially launched its 2008 season as it revealed the brand new R28 and its driver line-up at Renault's communications headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the banks of the Seine in south-west Paris.

The ceremony was attended by Renault President and CEO Carlos Ghosn, along with 500 media and VIP guests from around the world, including Michel Tilmant, Chairman of the Executive Board of ING Group, the team announced its determination to return to the front of the F1 field in 2008, thanks to a combination of aggressive design concepts in the new car, and the talents of the sport's only active double world champion, Fernando Alonso, allied to rookie Nelson Piquet.

ING Renault F1 Team President Bernard Rey explained that the team had set itself demanding targets for the new season. "We expect to see the team back in its normal place, fighting at the front of the field," explained Rey. "This is the target the team has set for the new car. On the technical side, everybody has worked hard to overcome the problems encountered last year. On the driver front, Fernando Alonso's return was an important boost. There is optimism inside the team and within Renault."

Rey also reinforced the value of the Formula 1 programme to the Renault Group, as a pillar of the company's global sales and marketing strategies. "Formula 1 is a powerful tool for building brand awareness in non-traditional markets, and Renault's sales outside Western Europe grew by 16.5% in 2007" he concluded. "Our status as a leading team demonstrates Renault can build vehicles that deliver performance, reliability and high technology. From an overall perspective, Formula 1 is a meaningful and profitable investment for Renault."

Bending new solutions and proven technology

The ING Renault F1 Team's hopes for the 2008 reason rest on the all-new Renault F1 R28. The car ran for the first time last week in Valencia, on Monday 21 January. During the four-day test, the car completed over 1500 km, indicating strong early reliability in spite of numerous changes to the 2008 technical regulations, including the introduction of the Standard ECU and long-life gearboxes. The team also made encouraging progress with set-up and performance development, allowing the car's debut to be judged as promising.

The new car represents a shift in design philosophy from its predecessor, in order to extract optimum performance from the Bridgestone tyres that all competitors have used since the start of 2007. The new car features revised weight distribution and a new aerodynamic concept to match, which has been enabled by the introduction of a "zero-keel" front suspension mounting. The monocoque and bodywork to improve the packaging of the car's mechanical systems while under the skin, the SECU and new gearbox represent the biggest changes. As with all new designs, the team has worked hard to improve stiffness and remove weight throughout the car, to provide maximum set-up adjustability from circuit to circuit.