Faure aims to steer Renault towards podium challenge

Flavio Briatore, the Formula One managing director of the Anglo-French team Renault, declined to set targets when they launched their new car, the R23, here yesterday but the chairman, Patrick Faure, made it clear he aspired to a championship challenge within two seasons. The message is unequivocal: France expects.

The drivers, Italy's Jarno Trulli and the Spaniard Fernando Alonso, clocked up a few kilometres and gave their scripted approval at this south of France showcase.

Itching to get his hands on the car was Britain's Allan McNish, dropped by Toyota at the end of last season and recruited by Renault as reserve and senior test driver.

Similarly impatient was Faure, who has seen the team emerge at the head of the midfield runners but now demands they compete with the top three, Ferrari, Williams BMW and McLaren Mercedes. "You have to be realistic and we are not in a position yet to fight for the championship," said Faure. "But, if we are to do so in 2004 and 2005, then we have to get on the podium at least four or five times this year.''

Briatore's expression betrayed his unease. He knows the gulf between Renault and the leading three teams is formidable and that, unless they have reliability problems or their drivers make mistakes, they are likely to make the podium an exclusive zone.

"I don't know what we can achieve this year – I am just being honest," he said. "To win you need consistency. Ferrari have been here forever. McLaren and Williams have also been in Formula One for a long time. We have a long way to go. We need time.''

The team have put 12 months into design and development of the new car and have already begun work on the 2004 model. Briatore is also convinced he was justified in dispensing with Britain's Jenson Button to make way for 21-year-old Alonso.

"Our choice was to have Alonso in the team because I believe he is already very special and he will get better," Briatore said. "We saw his promise not only as our test driver last year but also before that, when he was at Minardi.

"I'm not saying he is another Schumacher, or another Senna or another Mansell. He is Alonso. He will be himself. But just like Schumacher he needs the car to win. It is up to us to give him the car.''

McNish, who will run the car on Friday mornings at this year's Grand Prix meetings, hopes the mileage will also put him in the market for a race seat next year. "I did look at many options," he said, "but I felt I wasn't finished with Formula One and, as I didn't have the financial backing to get one of the two seats that were available, this was the best option for me. If I am required to race this year, I shall be ready to step into the car.''

Briatore shares his confidence. "I would be happy for Allan to get in the car and race for us if he needed to,'' he said. "He is a good driver and he is also a good guy. He has a great sense of humour. Sometimes I feel the fun is missing from Formula One.''

* Eddie Irvine faced retirement from Formula One yesterday after Jordan confirmed he would not drive for them this year, even though he was understood to have been prepared to drive for as little as £650,000 after earning £20m in his last three seasons with Jaguar Racing. "It's a sad day," he said. "I've decided not to drive in Formula One this year, or at least at the moment."