| With seven races already in the books, the | | | | to BMW now and racing them hard. Without a |
| French Formula One team Renault is sitting at | | | | doubt, we have upped our game and pulled out of |
| fourth place behind McLaren, Ferrari, and BMW | | | | the midfield bunch we were in. And there's still |
| Sauber. Team Executive Director Pat Symonds | | | | more to come." |
| though predicts that they can catch up with BMW | | | | Renault is the two-time defending constructor's |
| Sauber. The former race engineer of the retired | | | | champion and the slow start to the season |
| seven-time champion Michael Schumacher pointed | | | | allowed BMW to lead them in the standings early |
| out that Renault has been making progress since | | | | on. At the North American leg of the current |
| the Monaco Grand Prix and they will be looking to | | | | season, Renault took home as many points as |
| take third place from BMW starting at the French | | | | BMW Sauber did. Both teams took 9 points at the |
| Grand Prix which will be held on Sunday. | | | | two North American races. BMW Sauber's Robert |
| Symonds stated that the R27, their new Formula | | | | Kubica though was not able to participate at the |
| One car, will be performing better as the next | | | | United States Grand Prix due to his accident in |
| race will be held in European soil after two races | | | | Canada which has broken his Formula One car into |
| in North America. It was at the Monaco Grand | | | | pieces including the BMW transmission mount and |
| Prix that the R27 started showing its potential | | | | other parts. |
| when Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella finished | | | | Despite the fact that the absence of Kubica at |
| fourth. | | | | the United States Grand Prix, Renault is keen to |
| During the past three races, the two Formula One | | | | point out that their car is improving to the point |
| cars for Renault have been performing well as | | | | that they are now in a position to challenge BMW |
| well as their drivers. After Fisichella placed fourth | | | | Sauber. |
| at the Monaco Grand Prix, it was the rookie Heikki | | | | "The first thing to say - and it's an important point |
| Kovalainen who has racked up points for Renault | | | | - is that the work is progressing," said Symonds. |
| at the Canadian and United States Grands Prix. | | | | "Of course, it is never fast enough - we all want |
| The Finn finished fourth in Canada and fifth in the | | | | to be leading championships and winning every |
| United States. | | | | race and you're never happy until you are doing |
| Currently, Renault is caught up in a battle at the | | | | so - but we take a lot of comfort from the fact |
| middle of the standings with Red Bull, Williams, and | | | | that, after a poor start to the year, we are pulling |
| Toyota. With their recent successes though, | | | | it back so rapidly. Other teams are not having a |
| Renault is looking to break away from the pack | | | | great season, and not pulling it back as we are. |
| and challenge BMW Sauber. | | | | There is plenty to be proud of in what we are |
| "The results don't quite tell the full story, because | | | | doing." |
| some odd things happened to both teams in both | | | | Renault is looking to perform at their home |
| [the Canadian and American] races, but, in overall | | | | country of France. The French Grand Prix is |
| terms, I think it's indicative of the fact that the | | | | scheduled to take place on the first of July. |
| tide is turning," said Symonds. "We are very close | | | | |