By role
June 3 2004

A big part of the success of a race driver on the track is due to his race engineer. For Alonso this is Paul Monaghan. Paul has been Alonso's race engineer since the Spaniard is promoted as Renault race driver in 2003. That first season was exceptional with Alonso taking to pole positions, one fastes laps, five podiums and one win at the Hungaroring.

When Alonso crossed the line he activated his car to pit radio and he said:

“Thanks everybody, you are a fantastic team.”

The answer came rapidly from his race engineer Paul Monaghan:

“As racing drivers go, you’re not so bad yourself…”

Paul started his F1 career at McLaren in 1990 working in the R&D Department. He quickly climbed through the ranks at the Woking team and become a Renault engineer in 2000. In 2001 he was assigned to Jenson Button in a very tough season. Still Paul knows the values of being in a good team:

"The thing I like about this team is its spirit,” Monaghan says. “The guys at Renault have a sense of humour but have not allowed that to dull their competitive edge. I think the way we operate at the track is a model for others.”

Paul has the benefit of working with one of the younger drivers with a higher potential on the grid. However, being only 22 Alonso still has loads to learn about Formula 1 car set-up:

“Fernando is currently one of the best drivers in F1. He is determined, has incredible self-confidence, is oblivious to pressure and adapts remarkably easily to any situation. He is also prepared to learn whatever he can from Jarno Trulli, his team-mate.” He says.

They both work hard to make Alonso's car the fastest possible:

“In this business,” he says, “mutual confidence is essential. The driver must know he can trust my suggestions and I have to pay attention to his every word. I have to interpret what Fernando tells me and adapt it to his set-up.”

Though it is true that the end result not only depend on the two of them but also on other team member as Monaghan credits all:

“In this business,” he says, “mutual confidence is essential. The driver must know he can trust my suggestions and I have to pay attention to his every word. I have to interpret what Fernando tells me and adapt it to his set-up.”

A good race engineer is also a good psychologist to his driver, getting sure that Alonso's mind is perfectly set for his job at hand:

“I sometimes act as a kind of confidant,” he says. “I have to take good care of my driver, tell him things calmly and make sure I don’t compromise his preparations. My job requires me to be his number one supporter. I am – and don’t mind at all.”

The man that back at 92 was knows as pedals because one of his jobs was to modify Gerhard Berger's pedal set-up ahead of every race is now the race engineer of one of the biggest hopes this sport has.