Renault recalls Montagny!
Jerez - Wednesday 20h
source: gp2006.com
There is excitement in the Renault garage at the Jerez de Frontera circuit and not only because the R26 is undergoing its debut in the south of Spain. The Andalusian climate, normally one of the warmest in Europe at this time of year with mercury normally rising to 20°C at the hottest time of the day, is not managing to heat the hearts of the French squad after reigning world champion, Fernando suffered a slight injury, nothing major, a pinched nerve, but the testing program could be forced to undergo a big delay because the Spanish racer is gripped with pain.
Oxford - Thursday 7 am
The telephone rings. It takes a few seconds for Franck Montagny to awaken from a deep sleep, a blissful one at that after coming to an agreement with PKV Racing for a two day tests in ChampCar. The stress was gone, but suddenly his adrenalin started climbing when the Frenchman recognized the caller, who asked him to jump on the first plane headed in the direction of Jerez!
"Fernando might not test tomorrow, a small health issue, nothing major. We need a driver as fast as Fernando. It is vital for our testing program this week and Franck is the one..."
"Be reassured, Alonso's injury was not major", Renault confirmed to us several hours later, to justify Franck's return.
Back at Renault headquarters, Franck's seat is prepared, packed up, and quickly sent to Jerez.
Madrid - Thursday 18h
Franck is no longer under contract with the team who secured the 2005 crown. After making a stopover in Madrid before climbing aboard the plane that was to bring him closer to his former team's test, the French driver gathered his spirits and could not stop himself from smiling, remembering his last test for the team in mid-December. Here he had topped the times ahead of Schumacher and Alonso and the good-byes had been sad, walking away after many years. Could he refuse to help Renault? No, that would be impossible, as this is for the members of the team present at the test track, always ready to be there for Franck, and he returns to them with pride.
"I did not think of refusing for a second," Franck acknowledged to us. "I do that for certain people, the majority at Renault in fact, and I am very flattered and happy that they think I could be the right man for the job in a potential crisis"
