Test driver combo delighted to join Renault

Alongside confirmation that Heikki Kovalainen and Giancarlo Fisichella will form the Renault F1 Team’s race line-up for 2007, came the announcement that it will employ a team of test drivers next season, composed of Brazilians Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet Jr.

The opportunity to join a front-line, race-winning team has delighted both Ricardo and Nelson:

“I am very excited about joining Renault, and about what I can bring to the team,” commented Ricardo Zonta. “For me, the prospect of driving a world champion car is a big motivation, and to join a team that is winning races. I have had four very good years at Toyota, and learned a lot during the last twelve months as we made the transition to Bridgestone tyres. That involved a lot of changes to the car and a lot of work to understand the character of the tyres. It is a process Renault will have to go through next year, and I think I can bring that knowledge to them. I am very much looking forward to beginning working with my new team.”

For Nelson Piquet Jr., the challenge will be quite different, as he makes the step up from the GP2 Series to a full-time role in Formula 1.

“I am so happy to have signed as a test driver for the Renault F1 Team,” commented Nelson, who will be battling for the GP2 Series championship this weekend in Monza. “I have worked my whole life to get to this level and it feels like it is the start of the next chapter of my career. I am very much looking forward to working with the team and the other drivers. I know Heikki from GP2, Ricardo is a friend and both he and Giancarlo are very experienced, so I will be able to learn a lot from them. I will be putting all my efforts into working hard, learning everything I can and doing a good job for Renault so that I can help the team as much as possible.”

Only few weeks ago, F1technical spoke to Nelson about his racing career and his future ambitions. Click to read the interview with Nelson Piquet Jr.