Flavio Briatore, the Renault Sport UK team boss, has said his team was in a desperate state of affairs when he arrived in March 2000.

The Italian was drafted in to take over the Benetton, which had just been acquired by French carmaker Renault. Having led Benetton to Championship success in 1994 and 1995 before leaving the team in late 1997, he was brought back by Renault chiefs who wanted him to oversee Renault’s re-entry into Formula One this year as a fully fledged works constructor.

‘It was a disaster zone,’ Briatore stated in an interview with F1 Racing. ‘People had deserted every department, we were very short-staffed, but more important, the spirit of competition seemed to have left the place.

‘The team were winning in ’97: Gerhard Berger at Hockenheim. We were in the top-three in the constructors’ championship, as had been the case for several years.

‘Then when I came back it was like a cold shower. The team were unmotivated. There were no long-term plans, nothing to rally the troops. And there was no discipline.’

Things began to turn during last season when the Renault preparations intensified. The on-track performances improved as well.

‘There was a change at the end of last season - something was shaken up,’ Briatore said. ‘The mentality had changed. Now the team are unrecognisable.

‘The foundations are strong again and now we’ve got to go forward one step at a time. We’re demonstrating that that’s what we’re doing now, by improving race after race.’

The improved managerial structure and general refinement of the organisation has worked wonders to coincide with Renault’s return.

After six races the team has scored eight points and is tied for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.