30/06/2008
NEWS STORY
Fernando, you scored a point in the French Grand Prix, yet you had other hopes for Renault's home Grand Prix?
Fernando Alonso: Yes, after the qualifying session I thought that for the first time this year we could aim for the podium, so I was understandably disappointed with the final result. My race didn't start well as I lost some ground, and after that I was not able to find the pace I had shown on Saturday. The car had good straight-line speed, but I still couldn't make any progress. I scored a point, which is something, and I'm determined to do better this coming weekend.
How are you approaching the British Grand Prix this weekend?
FA: I am positive because we saw in Magny-Cours that we are making progress, although we know there is still a lot to do. We did three days of testing at Silverstone last week with Nelson when we worked on the set-up of the car, tested some new parts, evaluated the tyres, and so we now have a good feeling for the track. That will certainly help for the first practice session and for improving the car throughout the weekend.
The factory in Enstone is less than an hour down the road from Silverstone…
FA: After Magny-Cours, this is another home race for us and there will be lots of members of the team there to support us on Sunday. A good result there will be very important for the whole team.
What can you tell us about the Silverstone circuit?
FA: It really is a classic circuit on the F1 calendar. The track is very demanding for the cars, just as it is for the drivers, especially through the quick corners where the chassis needs to be well balanced. It's also quite a physical circuit with lots of G-forces for the driver to cope with. A good lap at Silverstone is always exhilarating because the car and the driver must both be at their optimum.
Nelson, you scored your first points in France. How special was that?
Nelson Piquet: It felt great to score my first points as I have been waiting for this moment since the beginning of the year. It took a bit longer than I would have liked, but the early races were not easy for me or the team. In France everything just came together for us – we ran without any problems and improved the car throughout the weekend, and so I was well prepared for the race and felt comfortable with the car.
Has the result given you more confidence for the second half of the season?
NP: I hope I can carry this momentum into the next part of the season, starting with the next race at Silverstone, but this result hasn't changed anything inside me – I knew what I was capable of and that things would come right eventually. I think I will have a stronger second half of the year as I have more experience to draw on and I have learnt an enormous amount from the first eight races. Every second you spend in the car, you learn a bit more, and you become a bit more confident: it's just a natural learning process and it takes time.
What are you hoping for from Silverstone? Isn't it one of your favourite circuits?
NP: Yes, I like the track and we tested there last week so we have the car quite well sorted already. Obviously the aim is to score more points, and to be matching my teammate, but, as we saw in France, the midfield pack is very competitive and a lot of the cars are fighting on the same level: just a few tenths can be the difference between qualifying in 8th or 16th. And qualifying will be especially important at Silverstone because overtaking is not easy due to the high-speed nature of the track.
Silverstone is the second home race for the team, and you also live in the UK. Does that make it more special?
NP: I guess it will feel a bit like a home race for me, and it's also nice for the members of the team who are based at the factory in Enstone to come and support the team. But all the races are just as important as each other, and I will approach the race in my normal way by pushing to the maximum all weekend and aiming for another points finish.