Renault admit to feeling pressure ahead of home race

It's the French Grand Prix next weekend and the Renault team has admitted feeling extra pressure to perform in the race.

This will be the first time that Renault have raced in a home Grand Prix in ten years.

The last time there was an F1 race in France, Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet Jr. were behind the wheel for Renault.

"The return of the French GP is going to carry an added level of emotion for all at Renault," Cyril Abiteboul, managing director of Renault, said.

"Everyone who works for the marque is proud of our heritage at this event.

"Renault's first win in the sport came in 1979 in Dijon, courtesy of Jean-Pierre Jabouille's.

"Rene Arnoux (was) also on the podium that day, after one of the all-time great racing duels with Gilles Villeneuve.

"We have scored a further nine victories on our home soil with some of the sport's best drivers - Alain Prost, Fernando Alonso, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher."

Abiteboul admitted that that sort of success is not expected again and his Renault team need more time.

"We are at an early stage of our journey so a win is probably not on the cards," the Frenchman said.

"But as a French team, we know we have extra pressure to perform well at our home race.

"The race on home soil also gives us extra motivation to pull together and work well.

"We head to Circuit Paul Ricard on the back of a positive result in Montreal, where we demonstrated, once more, our excellent team spirit.

"We need to match the teamwork we saw in Canada, and exemplify this level of passion and pride in France."