Renault announces team structure for 2007

Ed · Post by Ed » Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:22 pm

The Renault team announced today that test driver Heikki Kovalainen will partner Giancarlo Fisichella in 2007.
The team will have 2 Brazilian test drivers in 2007, Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet Jr.
The team also announced that the management team under the leadership of Flavio Briatore will remain. Briatore has renewed his contract for 2007 and 2008.

Flavio Briatore said:

I am delighted to continue to lead Renault's Formula 1 challenge. It is an honour to be working for one of the top global companies, and with one of the world's leading managers. The commitment and enthusiasm Carlos Ghosn has shown for the Formula 1 project over the past year has been a key factor in my decision.
It is now important for the Renault F1 Team to begin a fresh cycle of development from 2007, with a reinvigorated driver line-up and several major new commercial partners. This is the key to performing at the top level in the medium and long term.
We begin this new cycle on the platform of a stable management structure, headed by team President Alain Dassas, with whom I enjoy an excellent working relationship, and myself. We know how important it is to manage change in an organisation, and we have a close-knit, dynamic team capable of fighting for victory. I am confident Renault will be a major force in Formula 1 in the years to come.

Heikki Kovalainen said:

I am thrilled to get the opportunity to race with a world champion team like Renault. I have been a member of the Renault Driver Development programme since 2002, when I had the distant ambition of one day becoming an F1 driver. It is a fantastic feeling to have finally achieved that. My two seasons testing for the team, as well as my time in GP2, have allowed me to build my technical knowledge and to understand what it takes to win in Formula 1. I have also had the opportunity to show the team what I can do, and it is a great motivation to know that they believe in me. It will be a fantastic feeling to line up on the grid in Melbourne, but that is still a long way off. At the moment, I am totally focused on helping Renault win the 2006 championship.

More information

Snowy · Post by **Snowy** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:33 am

Thank goodness for that

If anyone deserves the Renault seat it has to be Kovi, now we get to see what he can do for real, and in a competitive car

Oh joy

A round of

to Renault for seeing the light

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:40 am

Kovalainen deserves this. Good luck to him.

And Flavio continues to run the team and continues to manage one of the drivers in the team. He has been doing that for the last few years.

Can Heikki win the title in his rookie year ? Possible if the McLaren turn out to be another lemon

What an exciting year it will be

And in 2008 with Hamilton and Piquet Jr. that will be even more exciting. Alonso would be old compared to them

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:48 pm

Ricardo Zonta brings Bridgestone experience to the team.

gkaytaz · Post by **gkaytaz** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 2:06 am

Kovalainen is a good choice for Renault at this point (unless Kimi would switch to Renault). So, now... Alonso and Kimi, teammates? Schumi and Kimi teammates?

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:58 am

gkaytaz wrote:Kovalainen is a good choice for Renault at this point (unless Kimi would switch to Renault). So, now... Alonso and Kimi, teammates? Schumi and Kimi teammates?

Massa n Kimi