Renault comeback an 'enormous boost'

Renault's upturn in form in the second half of the 2008 season has given the team a major boost ahead of the near year, according to engineering chief Pat Symonds.

The French squad endured a torrid start to the year but have turned things around to secure fourth place in the constructors' championship.

Fernando Alonso has scored two victories in Singapore and Japan and the Spaniard and his team have scored more points than their rivals since the Belgian Grand Prix.

Symonds says the team have managed to out-develop all the other teams and admits their progress have been a massive confident boost for 2009.

"It was disappointing that we started the year further back than we had expected to, and had the situation remained like that it would have been quite disheartening for us," he said.

"There were reasons for it, but in this particular case it's the facts that matter, not the reasons for those facts.

"The way we've turned the situation around has given us an enormous boost as we've proved we can out-develop our competitors and arguably out-develop those that are leading the championship because we really have moved a lot closer to them.

"I think that's a great message to take through to next year with so many new factors being introduced because we've shown that we can steal the initiative with this sort of thing."

Despite reaching the goals set for the season, Symonds admits he is left with a bitter-sweet taste, as he was hoping Renault would be fast from the start.

"I like to set very high targets and the goal we set mid-season to finish fourth in the championship with the third quickest car was not as ambitious a target as I would normally like us to set," said Symonds.

"Having said that it was, at the time, a difficult target and I am pleased that the first part of that target is both objective and proven - we've finished fourth and can't be beaten; the second part is probably subjective, although I think in the past couple of races we've shown that we have the third quickest car, so in my eyes we've achieved both those objectives."

And Symonds reckons the team should also be strong at the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend.

"I don't see why not. If you look at the last few races, we've seen the car performing well at some very different circuits. But as well as our strengths, our weaknesses are still there and I think that the exit out of turn 12 and the long drag up the hill to the first corner will be quite tough for us and not an area where we will be particularly strong.

"However, the car should be good through the quick corners of turns 3 and 5, and overall I think we can maintain a similar level of competitiveness to that which we've shown in the past few races."

Lenhart’s energy key in comeback draw

Symonds: Renault car better than Toyota’s