F1’s reigning world champion team Renault is making strides towards returning to the pace in 2007.
That is the outlook of the French squad’s veteran engineering chief Pat Symonds, who suggested to the magazine Auto Motor und Sport that Renault is finally getting to the bottom of the reasons for its mysterious lack of speed earlier this season.
“The modified front suspension in Barcelona was the first step, and the new front wing in Monte Carlo (was) the second,” Symonds is quoted as saying by the German publication.
It is understood that the problem with the R27 has therefore been isolated to the front of the car, but even with improved pace, Giancarlo Fisichella still finished a lap behind the McLarens in Monaco.
But Symonds said the new front wing alone delivered one tenth of a second per lap in Monaco, and it should yield another two tenths on the long Montreal straights this weekend.
He added: “All of our data suggests that the car’s basic concept is right.”
Team boss Flavio Briatore, meanwhile, said: “Starting from the grand prix of France, we want to ride along at the front again.”
