Give Renault time, says Briatore

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore reckons it is still too early to judge the French team`s form after the first two rounds of the championship.

The French squad, aiming to bounce back from their disappointing 2007 season, have struggled to match the pace of the leading teams despite the arrival of Fernando Alonso.

The Spaniard finished in fourth place after a chaotic Australian Grand Prix, but he had to settle for eighth in Malaysia, where the only top driver to retire from Ferrari`s Felipe Massa.

But Briatore believes Renault`s true form cannot be judged just yet, as the team plan to introduce improvements to their car by the start of the European season.

“Around the Turkish Grand Prix,” said Briatore when asked when he will be ready to judge the R28.

“At the moment we are in a very promising development run, because it would be completely unrealistic to think we can find those missing seconds to McLaren and Ferrari within days.

“We are at the beginning of a new season - so why focus on the past. And if we had what you call a `midfield car`, then Ferrari had no car at all in Melbourne. It does not make sense to judge a car after one or two races.

“Of course, McLaren and Ferrari have a fast car, but look what happened to Ferrari in Australia. So we will have to wait and see how it will be at the next couple of races,” Briatore told the official Formula One website.

The Italian also ruled out commenting on the rumours about Alonso being linked with a more to Ferrari if Renault don`t prove competitive enough.

“Fernando is a great sportsman who will always give his best - and rumours I never comment on. It is a waste of time to get involved in hypothetical daydreams,” he said.

25.3.2008   ▪ Formula One    ▪ Briatore, Renault    ▪ www.autosport.com