Firm favourite heading to BahrainRenault`s former Technical Director thinks the Enstone based team is well on the way to successfully defending its 2005 championship feats.
Mike Gascoyne, today Technical Director at rival Toyota, admitted that the R26 is so far the fastest car in winter testing.
"They look like they want to start 2006 like they finished 2005," Gascoyne told Germany`s Express newspaper.
Gascoyne praises Renault not only for building a quick car, but also producing a reliable V8 engine, despite having to change the v-angle to 90-degrees and also despite a late track debut. "They can go to Bahrain as favourites," he admitted.
But although Renault appear in front, Gascoyne warned observers not to write off McLaren, the Mercedes-powered team that has endured a bumpy pre-season period.
"We`ve seen it time and time again that McLaren can turn things around very, very quickly," Gascoyne stated.
He noted that, after 2005, Ferrari seem to have done just that with the 248 F1. But he added that Honda is also only just trailing Renault, said in reference to Ferrari: "I don`t think they are quite on Renault`s pace."
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