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Will Renault return to the front in 2008?
Topic Started: Aug 13 2007, 08:37 PM (326 Views)
dcoulthard19
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My gut feeling is that they will be.

In my opinion this season is just a blip due to struggling to adapt to the bridgestone tyres and having to push very hard last season till the end having a negative impact on this year's car.

They still have the facilities and the people to make a championship winning car and are still committed till 2012 at least.

This year they will finish comfortably in 4th position so they have plenty of time to make a head start on next year's car which they have already been doing. Mclaren got a head start for this year and it worked for them extremely well.

The important thing seems to be that they know why this year's car went wrong and hasn't been fast and now know not to be too reliant on their wind tunnel data which I believe was part of the problem.

They are in a much better position for Honda for example who don't know why their car has gone wrong and probably won't improve that much next season.

And who knows Renault may even get a chance to get Alonso back and if thats the case then they could find themselves in a great position for next season.
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Monty
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Unless they get Alonso i doubt they will get back to the front, him and Kovalainen could be a very good pairing and also with Alonso back Renault might start investing a bit more to try and win back the championships they have won in the last couple of years.
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safc_fan89
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Not sure. If they can be level with BMW by the end of the season, maybe. I hope they can, because we would have a cracking 08 championship, seeing as BMW are hoping to push on as well.
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Speedworx
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Once Fisi is gone and Piquet is in the seat, they will be nearer the front.
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NewMrMe
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Don't know, but there best bet would be to try for an Alonso/Kovaleinen line up.
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flood1
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No they will not, but they will be better than they are this year. I agree that the team will need a top driver to escape the midfield and Fisi is not that guy, and Kovi has a way to go, but I think he will get there.

They cannot afford Alonso, or at least they do not choose to pay that type of retainer. I suspect they are talking to Heidfeld, the best unsigned veteran in the field.
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safc_fan89
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I agree that Renault, perhaps like BMW, need a strong driver to lead them next season. Piquet Jnr would not be a good idea to replace Fisichella, and Fisi would not be a good idea to stay on. Kovalainen has beaten Fisi in 5 of the last 6 races, and there is no reason for Fisi to stay. You can't say his experience has helped this season...
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RJHSaints
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safc_fan89,Aug 14 2007
08:54 AM
I agree that Renault, perhaps like BMW, need a strong driver to lead them next season. Piquet Jnr would not be a good idea to replace Fisichella, and Fisi would not be a good idea to stay on. Kovalainen has beaten Fisi in 5 of the last 6 races, and there is no reason for Fisi to stay. You can't say his experience has helped this season...

I think he did a great job for the first 5-6 races of the season but agree that Kovalainen is now getting the better of him.

However, unless Alonso is going to return to Renault, I can't think of a better option.
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safc_fan89
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I can. If they aren't going to 'steal' someone from another team, such as Alonso, Heidfeld, Rosberg etc, then they might as well put Piquet Jnr in the car. No point keeping someone for no reason other than to keep him happy...IMO his performances recently have been nowhere near good enough. Yes he started the season well, but he only finished ahead of Kovalainen in that race out of the 6 because Kovalainen was punted off at the hairpin in France.
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dcoulthard19
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I'am not convinced Piquet Jnr would do a much better job than Fisi but Renault may as well give him a try.

The thing I don't like about Piquet Jnr is he seems to think he is the next best thing, too big an ego if you like, when he starts racing in F1 he may get a nasty shock and not an electric one.
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safc_fan89
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You need to have that confidence if you are going to succeed, and he did run Hamilton close towards the end of last season in GP2. I don't think he is a future champion or anything but I think he would bring more to the team than Fisi would. Fisi's had 3 chances now and has taken none, Renault will win nothing else with him there. Unless they re-sign Alonso.
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Paul_Murtagh
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I don't think they will in 2008, but they should be back at the front in 2009. They are still re-structuring at the minute and if they can claim a few podiums on merit next season then they could be back fighting for wins in 2009
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RJHSaints
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safc_fan89,Aug 14 2007
12:22 PM
I can. If they aren't going to 'steal' someone from another team, such as Alonso, Heidfeld, Rosberg etc, then they might as well put Piquet Jnr in the car. No point keeping someone for no reason other than to keep him happy...IMO his performances recently have been nowhere near good enough. Yes he started the season well, but he only finished ahead of Kovalainen in that race out of the 6 because Kovalainen was punted off at the hairpin in France.

Didn't you just say 'replacing Fisi with Piquet Jr would not be a good idea'? <think>
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safc_fan89
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No.
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RJHSaints
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safc_fan89,Aug 14 2007
08:54 AM
Piquet Jnr would not be a good idea to replace Fisichella, and Fisi would not be a good idea to stay on.

<think>
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