09/07/2004
NEWS STORY
The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team made a solid start to the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone. Underneath heavy skies and in cool conditions, the team conducted tyre evaluations and set-up work on the R24. Fernando Alonso experienced a throttle problem during the morning that saw his car stop out on circuit, but managed to make up the time lost during the afternoon.
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering: "It will be quite difficult to decide on tyres this evening as we seemed to encounter a lot of traffic during our comparisons. Aside from this, though, it was a straightforward day. We improved the balance of both cars, but know in which areas we need to work this evening. Fernando's problem this morning did not penalise us significantly and we have given ourselves a solid base to work from tomorrow."
Denis Chevrier, Head of Engine Operations: "We suffered a throttle problem on Fernando's engine this morning, but were able to quickly identify and resolve its cause. Fortunately, he was able to make up for this with a slightly more substantial programme this afternoon. This incident aside, we completed our programme without any problems. The times are extremely close, but we also need to remember that the track conditions were evolving throughout the day. We remain hopeful of competing strongly tomorrow."