06/09/2008
NEWS STORY
It was a positive afternoon for the ING Renault F1 Team as Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet qualified in 6th and 12th places respectively for tomorrow's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
Conditions were cool and overcast as the session got underway with the threat of rain in the air. Both Fernando and Nelson made it comfortably through the first part of qualifying, confirming the team's competitive performance from earlier in the weekend.
Conditions remained dry for Q2 as Nelson secured 12th on the grid, while Fernando progressed to the top ten shootout and ended the session in 6th. Those positions leave the team hopeful of a strong Belgian Grand Prix tomorrow.
Fernando Alonso: I am satisfied. We know that in normal conditions it's very difficult to finish in the top four and that to finish in fifth or sixth place is a good result. So that means that we have done a solid job today. We now have a real chance to get a strong result tomorrow, which is important for the championship. I'm quite confident.
Nelson Piquet: I'm disappointed not to make Q3 as I was in a position to be able to do that. I was on the pace, but my final run in Q2 just wasn't enough to get me through to the top ten. I am now going to work with my engineers to be well prepared for the race tomorrow, and I will do my best to progress in the race and aim to finish in the points.
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering: Our optimism from yesterday was fulfilled in qualifying with a very competitive session from Fernando. Nelson also looked strong, but he missed reaching the final part of qualifying by a very small margin. Spa normally produces good race and we look forward to it tomorrow.
Denis Chevrier, Head of Engine Track Operations: Once again, we saw that qualifying is challenging. The first four places are still out of reach, but the sixth place for Fernando is a reason to be satisfied because it means we can hope to score some points tomorrow. Of course, we must not make any mistakes and look after our tyres because all the teams are close here, but I think it will be an interesting race on a circuit that is challenging for the cars and the drivers. Nelson must get ready for a difficult race, but we'll do everything to help him progress in the race.