Alonso back in top gear

FERNANDO ALONSO is confident he will enjoy a happy, trouble-free new year following a turbulent 2007.

Alonso returned to the Renault cockpit yesterday for the first time since clinching the second of his back-to-back titles with the French marque in 2006, and he was immediately back on the pace.

On the second day of a three-day test in Jerez, the 26-year-old promptly set the fastest time. All that was lacking for Alonso was a new car as Renault are not due to launch their challenger for the forthcoming season until January 31 in Paris.

Despite driving last year’s car, albeit without driver aids such as traction control which are now banned, Alonso posted a lap of one minute 19.503secs, 0.147secs faster than McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa.

World champion Kimi Raikkonen was third quickest in his Ferrari, followed by Nico Rosberg for Williams and then Felipe Massa and Heikki Kovalainen in the second Ferrari and McLaren.

“There were a lot of good feelings meeting up with the team again today, good memories and plenty of optimism,” said Alonso.

“There are new colours for me, a new helmet that I designed for the new season — the only thing we are missing is the new car!”

When asked whether he saw 2008 as the start of a new adventure with Renault, or like picking up an old story for another chapter, he replied: “I think both are true. The team is completely different to the one I left in 2006.

“There have been some big changes, they have improved a lot of things and strengthened many areas, so in one sense it is a new adventure with a new team. At the same time, it is impossible to forget the six years I spent as a Renault driver, and my memories of that time are still strong.”

As last year with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, Alonso has a rookie driver as a team-mate in Nelson Piquet Jnr. But, unlike last year when Hamilton and Alonso were treated equally by McLaren, he will be the undisputed number one driver with Renault.

Alonso added: “For 2008, I don’t anticipate problems with anybody, and (team principal) Flavio (Briatore) has always demonstrated that he can manage these situations very well.”