Feb.7 (GMM) The pace shown by Renault's new formula one car at last week's Valencia test was genuine, team boss Eric Boullier insists.

Before his rally crash on Sunday, Robert Kubica left Valencia having set the fastest time of the first group test of 2011 in the newly launched R31, which features innovative front-exiting exhausts.

"We did not try to just do a (good) laptime with soft tyres and a drop of petrol in the tank," insisted Boullier, who was speaking before Kubica crashed during Sunday's Ronde di Andora rally.

"It (the laptime) just came after we started to adjust the settings for the first time and (adjust) the car to the Pirelli tyres," he is quoted by French commentator Jean-Louis Moncet's column in Auto Plus.

"The car became more comfortable for Robert, and he did his time," added Boullier.

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