Fernando was exceptional - Symonds
Renault’s Executive Director of Engineering, Pat Symonds, pays tribute to the world champion’s performance this afternoon. Alonso had a great opportunity to win the race at Hungary, but unfortunately he had to retire due to mechanical problems.
"It was exceptional – I think the fans enjoyed that one! There are two ways of looking at things for us: on the one hand, we are very disappointed not to finish a race where the car was quick enough to take 18 points. But on the other, Schumacher’s retirement means Fernando’s lead stays intact and Renault only concedes one point to Ferrari in the constructors’ championship."
Was Fernando disappointed not to have finished?"Of course. We were all very, very disappointed to see him finish his race in the barriers after a mechanical problem. However, he was exceptional throughout the time he spent on track. His first lap was sensational and his climb through the field great to watch. He was 15th on the grid and at the front of the race a few laps later! In all conditions, he drove perfectly. He is a great champion and proved it with today’s drive."
What are the lessons from the weekend?"That you mustn’t crack under pressure, to stay calm and have confidence in our abilities. The Hungarian Grand Prix was difficult at every level: the weather conditions were unusual, the political context was complicated and the race full of surprises. The break before Turkey will let us catch our breath and prepare for the championship run in. Nothing is decided yet, and we are determined to stay aggressive until we achieve our goal: the world title."
