German Car Zone

IMO 2008 is finished for them, BMW seems to be definitively the 2nd power now, Renault made a good progress, but light alonso (but not empty alonso) + Barca, a circuit that everyone know all about it and then much slimmer gaps than everywhere else also helped a lot. I expect them to be now the clear fourth team.

It's amazing what a difference Alonso can make in a team. Absolutely extraordinary, I must say. But lets wat to see how the race goes before jumping to conclusions. Both Clios could be very light afterall.

It's not both logan anymore then.

Alonso isn't on fumes, but he is a bit lighter than the rest. We'll see how his race and the rest of the season goes for Renault, but he is a seriously impressive driver. He won't win the race, but he is extracting results and points from an inferior car. He is a driver that any team should want.

The BS about how Alonso is a brat (compared to Saint Hamilton and Mr. Integrity) is overrated tabloid fodder. If he joins Ferrari with contracted No. 1 status, he can win another three WDCs easily and Ferrari will have the best car, best setup, best driver.

Interesting qual session, Alonso is a bit of a surprise, but seeing as it's his home GP, I reckon he's running pretty light. What I want to know is what happened to Heidfeld down in P9, not too good for him!

Graining & bad quali setup.

what about Pedro? i've always rated him a good test and developer driver, never a race driver..

both Alonso and Nelson is running very light, Pat Symonds seems to confirm this :

Renault's Pat Symonds has "hinted" that Fernando Alonso will start the Spanish Grand Prix with a light fuel load after the double world champion took a surprising front row starting spot in qualifying for Sunday's race.

Speaking to UK broadcaster ITV, Symonds said that while Renault have improved the R28 significantly since Alonso he finished tenth in Bahrain, the team had been 'creative' with Alonso's race strategy.

"Obviously there is some strategy involved," he said. "But I am really pleased to see the proof of the work that we have been doing over the last few months.

"It's also good to see Nelson [Piquet] (tenth fastest) up there in the top ten, it's his first time in Q3 and it proves it's a team effort.

"I don't think it would be any secret to say that Fernando and Nelson are not on the same strategy."

Asked why Renault had chosen to put their drivers on such contrasting strategies, with Piquet evidently running heavier, Symonds replied: "Well it's a question of how each driver can use it.

"We really have improved the car, we've made it lot nicer to drive, a lot more competitive, as you've seen right through the weekend," he added.

"Nelson still needs to learn, he still needs to get races under his belt and it is probably not the best thing to be too aggressive with him."

Despite running Alonso light in qualifying for his home race, Symonds emphasised that Renault were still aiming for a strong finish on Sunday.

"It's Sunday that counts, and with the season we had last year and the way we started this year, we just want to get some good solid results," he said. "And of course it's nice to be up there and we have a history of being quite creative with the way we go racing.

"Here is another example of it and it means a lot to us. Sunday really counts."

i think, they're just gonna go for a 4-6th place finish.

no one said he's a brat whatsoever. i'm not a Alonso fan, but that can't stop me from denying that he's a real gentleman on the track, something like Kubik. he's a real winner and racer on the track.

but he's downside is how he complains to the press about the internal stuff of the team. thats all.

edit : Alonso was quoted saying post quali that the car is much easier to drive now, and more stable.

Yes I was thinking about him, but on race day, the engineers still need the driver's opinion on the final setup. I am not sure exactly how the decision is made, but right now the team is struggling to find the sweet spot for the car.