Renault: Reliability will be key to title.

Renault's executive director of engineering Pat Symonds has admitted that reliability could well be the key to who comes out on top in the battle between the regie and McLaren for the Formula One Constructors' championship.

Fernando Alonso has the Drivers' title all but secured with just six points needed to put him beyond the reach of Kimi Raikkonen, but the Constructors' title is still very much to play for, although many believe that McLaren now have the car with which to overhaul the six point lead Renault holds to take the honour.

However, while Symonds admitted that McLaren are now quicker, he felt the reliability of the Renault package could yet be the deciding factor in who wins the title.

"We are not arrogant here in the team, and we do fully appreciate that the McLaren is now a quicker car than the Renault," he said. "We have a good step on the aerodynamics for Brazil, that will help us claw back some of the deficit. But it is also partly to do with some of the strategic engineering decisions that have been made in the team. We do not want a car that is fast and fragile, we want a car that will finish every Sunday because that is how championships are won.

"I still think it will come down to reliability, even at this late stage. With three races left, ourselves and McLaren have six race starts each until the end of the season. If both teams get six finishes between now and China, it is likely that McLaren will beat us. But if they fail to finish, then we can beat them. So firstly, we have to make sure we finish the races with both cars. Then after that, we need to put pressure on them."