Grid Crasher’s verdict so far on Flavio Briatore’s team

RENAULT
Drivers Nelsinho Piquet (Brazil) & Fernando Alonso (Spain)
Championship points 15

Read our verdict on Renault below:

Renault won the constructors’ championship in 2005 and 2006, but since then the team has lost considerable ground to Ferrari, McLaren and BMW. Its R28 is one of the ugliest cars in F1 history, and there’s no doubt it’s been an ugly first half of the season for Flavio Briatore. Renault should be fighting with BMW for position as the third-ranked team; instead, they are down the table, scrapping for points with Honda and Williams.

Despite the odd moan to reporters, Fernando Alonso has actually driven very well - though he still overdrives at times, given the R28’s limits. The Spaniard has been especially impressive in qualifying, but he struggles to carry quali pace into a full race. Alonso’s rookie team-mate, Piquet Jnr, has struggled badly, although the Brazilian is improving slowly - he even managed to overtake Alonso in the last two grands prix.

Renault have made too many tactical/strategical mistakes in races and we wonder if Briatore’s heart is in it this season - he seems to have lost his spark. And the team’s exec. director, Pat Symonds, was visibly frustrated after the British GP, when a podium opportunity was wasted. The doubt over Alonso’s immediate future hasn’t helped either.

It’s clear that a lot of very hard work has been done to make the R28 as competitive as possible. We expect Renault to pick up more points in the second half of the season than it managed in the first.

Grade C

Targets for the second half of the season? Move above Williams, Toyota and Red Bull in the table. Resolve Alonso’s future (we think he’s off to Ferrari). Stick with Piquet Jnr: he will improve.