Renault heads for Imola

The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team is preparing for a three-day test this week at one of the toughest circuits on the calendar.

Pre-season testing at Imola hasn't been 'fashionable' for a number of years, but the Italian circuit poses some unique challenges: not only is it similar to Melbourne in its stop-start nature, with medium-length straights punctuated by chicanes, but it also gives the cars one of their toughest challenges of the year: between 2001 and 2003, only Canada featured a higher percentage of mechanical retirements than Imola, with engines and transmission put through a particularly severe workout. Just the place for checking pre-season reliability ahead of departing for Melbourne...

On the chassis side, the coming test will mark the first time that the team has run two R24's side by side. Chassis 02 was completed ten days ago at Enstone and will make its track debut this week. The presence of the new car also means race drivers Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso will attend, with both looking to further improve their knowledge of the R24, and continue the progress of recent weeks.

As for the RS24 engine, Imola will see the introduction of the 'A' spec that will race in Melbourne. Last week at Jerez, the team reached maximum mileage with two units of the preceding 'Z' specification, and this week will provide the opportunity to confirm the dyno results on track. On Wednesday and Thursday, the focus will be on completing race distances with both cars, while the rest of the programme will focus on general set-up work with the new car, and tyre testing for the opening races of the season. A busy week awaits!

-renault-