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01/07/2008 01:21. Renault hope that Nelson Piquet's point-scoring finish in the French Grand Prix acts as the springboard to greater success in the second part of the season.

Piquet had endured a difficult start to his rookie campaign, which prompted rumours he could be dropped by the team before the end of the year.

But his seventh placed finish at Magny-Cours, where he finished ahead of Fernando Alonso, has eased the pressure on him - and left his team hoping for more over the rest of the year.

Renault technical director Bob Bell said about Piquet's French performance: "I think that Nelson did a very creditable job and he kept improving throughout the race weekend.

"In the practice sessions on Friday he was quite a way off Fernando, and yet by the end of the weekend he was right up there with him... // autosport.com