Jan.17 (GMM) Reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen remained sceptical on Wednesday as the paddock mused Renault's apparent return to top form at Jerez.

On Tuesday, on the only thoroughly dry day of running at the Spanish group test this week, 26-year-old Alonso led the field in the R27, which in the hands of Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen in 2007 was not a race winner.

On Wednesday, he was third; a couple of tenths adrift of his former McLaren teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

"We'll see what happens in the races," Raikkonen, at the circuit to test Ferrari's 2008 car, said.



"I don't think they have improved so much suddenly after last season with the old car, but let's wait and see," the Finn added.



Even Alonso, F1's championship winner of 2005 and 2006 with the French team, seemed unconvinced about the true meaning of his form.



Asked by the Spanish broadcaster Telecinco how the R27 shapes up against his 2007 McLaren mount, he answered: "It is difficult to know.



"This is not a car for winning races, as we have seen all (last) year, but perhaps I was expecting more difficulties to drive it," Alonso added.