Renault's top brass believe the team's Monaco performance proves it has escaped from the midfield group and is ready depose BMW as Formula 1's third fastest team.
In an interview in the
team's official podcast, executive director of engineering Pat Symonds and chief engineer Alan Permane said they were confident that Giancarlo Fisichella's fourth place in Monte Carlo would not be a one-off.
"We're breaking out of that really scary midfield group, and in breaking out we are of course moving closer to the front," said Symonds.
"BMW are our next challenge and we're there, just that tiny bit behind them, although that will vary from circuit to circuit.
"We are racing better than them and certainly that helped us in Monaco.
"There's still a little way to go to the Ferrari/McLaren battle, but I'm proud of what our guys have done this year to move us up, having accepted that things weren't right at the start.
"And if we can continue in that trend, then things will get better."
Permane agreed that Renault was now focusing on catching the frontrunners rather than fighting a rearguard action.
"It's very difficult with Monaco being Monaco, but I would think on a normal circuit we're now within striking distance of BMW," he said.
"We're probably a little tiny bit behind them, but we were three or four tenths behind them and I think we're now right with them.
"Equally I think we've pulled away from the guys behind - the Red Bulls, Toyotas, Williams - we've given ourselves a cushion on them.
"So instead of constantly looking in our mirrors and worrying about them, we can concentrate on racing the guys in front."
Renault is now fourth in the constructors' championship, 14 points behind BMW.
Source = ITV F1