Franck Montagny leaves Renault

After three years of good and faithful services with the Renault F1 Team, they have cancelled their partnership with third and only French driver, Franck Montagny, who was definitely played his part in the rise of the only French team on the grid this season, which is on the verge of taking glory in the Constructors' Championship after winning the drivers title with Fernando Alonso in Brazil. The news of his departure was announced on Franck Montagny's website today.

Montagny's role of development and reserve driver since 2003 has greatly contributed, by way of tens of thousands of kilometres that he carried out in testing at the wheel of the Renault single-seater, with all the successes gained by the team in the past two seasons as well as their Championship Drivers' title in 2005.

Today Montagny is facing a new challenge, to try and ensure a place in F1 for the 2006 season. Negotiations are already well advanced in this matter with the Midland F1 Team (now Jordan) where Franck has already performed a test, which was said to be an excellent job by team manager Colin Kolles during the European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. However his F1 future will also need the financial support of one or more partners.

Franck has appreciated the time working with the technical team at Renault, which has enabled him to acquire a very vast knowledge of F1 on the highest level. His greatest disappointment is not to have been able to emphasize his very great potential, in particular during the final three races of the 2004 season.

In spite of this anticipated departure, Franck thanks Renault for the trust that was placed in him and hopes that the team takes the 2005 Constructors' crown.