And partly blame '06 obstaclesA Renault boss has denied that the embattled world champions should attempt to solve their current crisis by making big changes to the uncompetitive R27 car.
"Before you can do anything like that it is necessary to find the answers to
your current problems," chief race engineer Denis Chevrier told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
The sentiment is backed by veteran engineering director Pat Symonds, who admitted to still being confused as to how the Enstone based squad dropped so far off the pace mere months after
Fernando Alonso secured the titles in 2005 and last year.
"It really makes me wonder where we went wrong," the Briton is quoted as saying by the British magazine Autosport.
"Fernando may have left the team, but it's the same group of engineers responsible for designing, developing and exploiting the car."
Team boss Flavio Briatore thinks Renault's 2007 struggle is simply due to "the normal cycle" of motor racing.
"Look at Ferrari, Williams, McLaren," the Italian told Autosprint magazine, adding that he thinks development of the current Renault car was also hindered by the "heavy obstacles" imposed on the team by the FIA last year.
Briatore is almost certainly referring to the 'mass damper' affair and possibly also controversial incidents including Alonso's qualifying penalty at Monza.
"If it wasn't that way, today we'd certainly be in a different situation, because we could (have started) to develop the car the way McLaren and the others (did)," he said.
Briatore added: "Unfortunately when you must win with handicaps you always run a bit late."
© CAPSIS International Source GMM
