Renault, Kubica biggest surprise of 2010 - de la Rosa

Pedro de la Rosa has singled out Renault as the "biggest surprise" of the 2010 season so far.

With the wounds of the crashgate scandal still fresh, the Enstone based team went into March’s season opener with new owners and management.

In winter testing, Renault’s was among the slowest of the established cars, with a single seater that closely resembled last year’s uncompetitive R29.

But after four races, the R30 is a healthy fifth in the constructors’ standings behind the prominent top-four title protagonists.

Team newcomer Robert Kubica, now linked with a move for 2011 to Ferrari, has never been out of the final ’Q3’ group this year, and was even on the podium in Australia.

Asked to nominate his biggest surprise of 2010, Sauber racer and F1 veteran Pedro de la Rosa answered: "For most people in the paddock it is Renault.

"The performance of the team, and particularly Kubica, has been sensational. In testing we were usually quicker than them," de la Rosa told the Swiss newspaper Blick.