Faure praises exceptional Alonso

Patrick Faure, the Renault F1 Team President, is relieved... and delighted! He gave his impressions several minutes after the race finish.

Q: Patrick, what are you feeling today?

Patrick Faure: I am relieved. It felt like a very, very long race. I think I went through the longest 90 minutes of my life! I am also pleased because this is the first title for a 100% Renault car. And we did it against tough opposition.

Also, it's a real pleasure to see Fernando crowned as the youngest champion in history. It fits Renault's image, which is all about human warmth and youth. I have been in charge of Renault's F1 operations for 21 years, and we have now won everything during this period.

Q: Is it important to be the first people to break Michael Schumacher's reign?

PF: Yes. It is nice, because I think we are seeing a year of transition between the Schumacher era and a new generation of drivers. Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen are the stars of the future.

Q: Finally, what do you think of the Alonso phenomenon?

PF: The boy just amazes me. He Is exceptional. When Flavio Briatore mentioned him to me for the first time four or five years ago, he mentioned some exceptional qualities: aggression and consistency. Fernando showed he had them when he arrived at Renault.

This year, he has added another string to his bow. He has shown he is a subtle strategic thinker, and a mature guy. He knows how to attack, to start from the front and win a race. He knows how to defend his position like in Imola.

He also knows how to manage a situation, and not go for broke when his car isn't good enough to run at the front. And he is only 24! We are witnessing the blossoming of an exceptional talent.

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