ING Renault F1 Team

Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Heikki Kovalainen (FIN)

Renault
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Poles: 0
Points: 31 (Fisichella – 17, Kovalainen – 14)

TPL Rating: 7 out of 10

After two years of great success, including two driver's and two constructor's championships, it has been a season of change at Renault. Along with losing their double world champion Fernando Alonso, Technical director Pat Symonds decided to take a less hands-on approach for 2007, with former race engineer Alan Permaine taking over his role. These changes have had a knock-on effect to the race team, with Renault struggling to match the front-running pace of McLaren and Ferrari so far this season

Giancarlo Fisichella was given the task of carrying on from where Alonso left off, and after two lacklusture seasons compared to Alonso many expected him to faulter. But the Italian has done well so far and has regularly scored points for the French team. He has only failed to score points in two grand prix (Spain and USA), but made a rookie mistake in Canada when he broke a red light while exiting the pit lane under safety car conditions. If Giancarlo can keep up his driving then he will have surely done enough to secure another year in F1

Heikki Kovalainen came into F1 with a high reputation. He first came to the public's attention when he beat Michael Schumacher and Sebastien Loeb at the Race of Champions in 2004, and finished second in the inaugural season of GP2 in 2005. Yet he seemed to struggle at the beginning of the season, having looked scrappy at the first three fly-away races, but at recent races, especially in Canada and the USA, he has looked stronger and beginning to push Fisichella hard. He can only improve and maybe the Kovalainen who beat Schumi and Loeb will shine through soon


Do you agree with this? Rate the team and have your say

No idea how you can give them 7, I have given them 3. There can be no excuse for their performances this season, none. The drivers are capable of getting at least podiums, and it is certainly not down to them. Perhaps this is reality for them...they are not strong enough to have a prolonged period of success.

I have to agree Renault are having a very poor season, although signs are good they are moving the the right direction. 4/10 :o

still supporting macca cpg? <smartarse>



i would give them a 6 i think.

were fighting a title battle with a team with god knows how much of a bigger budget right up to the end of last season. lost nando and michelin who were an essential element of their success.and are now coming back.

though unlike most i havent been that impressed by the drivers tbh.
heikki has made quite a lot of errors even for a rookie and has generally been slower than fisi.
and fisi has been fisi.a bit of inspiration at the usual haunts like monaco but generally just tootling round for the minor points imo.

I'll go for a 6 too.

I know it was a big ask for Fisi to fill Alonso's boots so to speak, but just how off the pace the team are is a little shocking. Not only have McLaren left them in the dust (Ferrari were arguably already superior) but BMW and sometimes Williams/Toyota/Red Bull have regularly outpaced them. It's sad to see them fall off the pace and good to see they are starting to improve, if a little too late.

Fisi has again done nothing to excite me, Heikki has had a few rookies mistakes but seems to be settleing in nicely considering his largely uncompetitive car....

I go with 1. WDC two years running to near Super Aguri performance over winter. Looking a bit stronger now, but basically in comparison to the last two or three seasons, absolutely pathetic.

5/10 from me.

Having lost Alonso it was always going to be a tough season ahead and I did not expect them to win either title this year. However, I also didn't anticipate such a poor start. They have improved things since then, but I still doubt whether they will be able to recover to being championship contenders again next season.

The drivers have both been good-Fisichella has shown good leadership qualities to outperform his car at times and, apart from the Canada pit lane red light fiasco, bring the car home in the points solidly.

Kovalainen has recovered well after a shaky start and I anticipate a good future for him in F1.

I'll give them 7. After a difficult start they have done brilliantly to firmly establish themselves as the fourth best team - remember that at the beginning of the season they were embroiled in the midfield battle with Williams, Toyota, Red Bull and Super Aguri - and the way they are developing they will probably have the third best car by the end of the year. I can't see them overhauling BMW in the points standings, but the car will be better by the end of the season.

Both drivers have done a brilliant job in a less than perfect car - Heikki had a tough start but has fought back very well to get on terms with Fisi, who has been solid if uninspiring as always, and has been bringing home the points.