Senna aiming to build on mixed Renault debut

After a sensational qualifying session at Spa last time out, Bruno Senna literally came back down to earth with a bump after a first corner shunt with qualifying's other star performer, Jaime Alguersuari.

Senna, with a damaged front wing and subsequent drive-thru penalty, could only finish 13th on his debut for Lotus Renault GP yet his enthusiasm remains undiminished. Following the team's amicable split with Nick Heidfeld, the Brazilian has secured the race seat for the remainder of the year and the next Grand Prix at Monza cannot come soon enough.

He said: "Mistakes happen, and what happened at the first corner potentially cost me points but what was paramount that weekend was to get some laps under my belt, and I did just that. I managed to complete the race, clock up many laps and familiarise myself with the car. The weekend gave me a good all-round experience.

"Naturally, when you do well in qualifying it raises the bar of expectation. Inside and outside the team, everybody was very happy with the qualifying and there was greater expectation for scoring points in the race. Having said that, I was the first one to point out that racing is very different to qualifying, and I wasn’t getting carried away. It was a step into the unknown, and in terms of performance it went really well but I need to polish up on my race craft, which is a bit rusty.

"I know the car much better now. I’m more familiar with the tendencies the car has, and I understand the direction we can take it. I’m looking forward to working closely with the engineers to devise solutions on where we can strengthen our approach.

"I’ve known Monza since 2005, so I have been there every year apart from 2009. It’s a circuit where I’ve had a mixed bag of results. When I was younger, there were a few occasions when I didn’t have the right car set-up but I now understand the circuit much better. I’m a more mature driver now, and I’m confident we can achieve another top 10 qualifying and score more points.

"Of course in Spa I didn’t know what to expect in terms of the competitiveness, but it was extremely encouraging that I managed to develop my pace quickly, and work with the team well. I have a strong working relationship with the engineers, and I am eager to get into the cockpit in Monza because I feel more confident heading into this race. As with any sport, miles on the clock and experience instil confidence in oneself."

Quotes from Bruno Senna attributed to Lotus Renault GP.

Josh.