Renault say Italian Giancarlo Fisichella faces a ‘now or never’ season next year following the departure of double Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso to McLaren.

“If he doesn’t find it this year, then I doubt if he ever will,” technical director Bob Bell told the Times newspaper on Monday.

“This, I think, really is a make-or-break year for Fisi.

“All we can do as a team is have confidence in his ability to rise to the challenge. We will give him the best equipment we humanly can and give him all the support we humanly can and see where that takes us.”

Fisichella must take on the role of lead driver at the champions, although both he and Finnish rookie Heikki Kovalainen start on equal terms, because of his years of experience and continuity within the team.

The Roman, who will be 34 next month, has been comprehensively outperformed by Spaniard Alonso in the last two years with Renault winning both championships but Fisichella triumphant in only two races.

In the same period, 25-year-old Alonso won 14 grands prix and two drivers’ championships.

Kovalainen, formerly the Renault test driver, is highly regarded and few would be surprised to see him swiftly on Fisichella’s pace.

Newly signed Brazilian test driver Nelson Piquet junior, son of the triple world champion and namesake, has already said he hopes to take Fisichella’s place in 2008.

Reuters/Yahoo

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