Renault can hope for third place, says F1 team boss

[davewilson]

Struggling Formula One champions Renault can beat BMW Sauber to third place overall and have not ruled out podium finishes by the end of the season, according to team president Alain Dassas.

"We need to be fighting for podium places by the end of the season and to try and become the third quickest team. That's the minimum required," he told the team Web site after Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

"I'm fully confident and I know we're capable of achieving that. The car's improving at every race. There's obvious progress, although it's in small steps at the moment," he added.

"Now, we need to accelerate that development."

After four races, Renault are fourth overall with just 11 points. BMW Sauber have 23 while McLaren and Ferrari are in another league with 58 and 49 respectively.

Renault's fall has been dramatic after the team dominated the last two years, winning both drivers' and constructors' championships with Fernando Alonso before the Spaniard moved to McLaren.

Neither Italian Giancarlo Fisichella nor Finnish rookie Heikki Kovalainen have come close to finishing in the top three, with Fisichella's fifth place in the Australian season-opener the best so far.

Fisichella ruled out any chance of the title long ago and recently doubted that he would return to the podium again this year.

"When I was made head of the team I knew that we couldn't keep on winning forever," said Dassas, who took over from Patrick Faure last year.
"I even thought that 2006 would be a less fruitful season than the previous one."

Dassas said morale remained good and everyone was working hard to resolve the problems.

"We have pinpointed the zones of the car that are concerned. Now all we have to do is to find and apply solutions to get us back on the right track," he said. "There's still work to be done."