Faure demands Renault success

Renault must deliver a title challenge this season, according to team president Patrick Faure.

The French team unveiled their 2005 car in Monaco today amid high hopes they can finally challenge the dominant Ferraris.

Renault have won a race in each of the last two seasons but Faure has demanded more in 2005, with a sustained challenge for the world championship on his wish list.

He said: “Even if [team boss] Flavio Briatore says we are in competition to put on a show, I’d like to remind him there is a whole company who have invested a lot of money in Formula One and we are in it for results.

“When we came back [to Formula One in 2002] we said 2005 and 2006 were the years we had to fight for the world titles.

“We are here to win races, plural not just one.

“We have to be among the top three teams at the end of the season. We have to be fighting at the top level.”

Briatore believes his team, who won world titles with Michael Schumacher when they were known as Benetton, is ready to step up to the challenge.

The flamboyant Italian has Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella behind the wheel and he is convinced he has all the right ingredients to battle with his former protege.

“We have to do better,” he said. “Now we are on the same level as the others.

“We have seen the figures this car produces and they are very good. We need a bit of luck as well and we have to hope the others don’t do as well as us.

“We are all here to win and we have the drivers to do it this year.

“I try and put together quick drivers – this year I am very hopeful because they have spirit.

“Formula One is a sport made up of the best drivers in the world but we must not forget it is a sport. We have to put on a spectacle for the people, but we are here to win.”

Briatore hopes new rules for 2005 will help his cause, with fresh technical regulations concerning tyres, aerodynamics and engines joining an altered qualifying system on the menu this season.

He added: “I hope the new rules will shake the order up a bit and make it more interesting.”

Alonso is expected to be the focus of Renault’s title challenge and the young Spaniard is confident he can make a step up the grid.

The 23-year-old has one grand prix victory to his name and helped the team to third in the constructors’ championship last year but he must step up a level if he is to fulfil his massive promise.

He is convinced 2005 will be the year for him to take that step.

“Always when you start a new season you want to improve on last year and for me it is the same this time,” he said.

“It is not easy but we are extremely confident in the performance of the car.

“I am really convinced this car can be a fantastic car this year and will be a surprise to more than one person this year.”