Formula One champions Renault reported good progress with their 2007 car on Friday and expected the first chassis to be ready by Christmas.

"Everything is running smoothly," said technical director Bob Bell in a team update.

"Compared to the design of the R26 (this year's car), we are definitely ahead of the game at this stage.

"The new chassis successfully completed FIA homologation testing this week, while the rear end has already been running in a hybrid R26 chassis since last week's test in Barcelona, and has so far completed several thousand km."

Bell said the car's initial track shakedown would be in Jerez, in southern Spain, on January 16 with two cars running from that first test onwards.

Bell said testing so far had also gone to plan.

"The new gearbox has been operating reliably, which has been a great source of motivation for the team," he said.

"So far, all the signs indicate that we are making very good progress and that we will be ready to hit the ground running when the R27 runs for the first time in January."

The car's formal launch will be in Amsterdam on January 24. Renault have a new title sponsor next year in Dutch-based financial giant ING.

Renault, champions for the past two seasons, have Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and Finnish rookie Heikki Kovalainen as their drivers next year following the departure of double champion Fernando Alonso to McLaren.