The Renault-owned team have been mired at the back of the grid, often battling with the tiny Minardi outfit in the last two rows, because of problems with their car and engine.

But an upgrade on their Renault engine and some aerodynamic changes to the car should help them move up the grid in Magny-Cours, their home race.

The biggest problem has been the engine, a radical 111-degree unit which Renault hopes will eventually create a new orthodoxy in F1 engine design.

However, the engine is in its infancy, and their have been innumerable problems with it - most importantly that it is dramatically under-powered.

Benetton technical director Mike Gascoyne said: "We are planning an update to the engine for this race and will use a new specification both in qualifying and the race.

"This is a step forward compared with the engines we have been using to date.

"We have also got some aerodynamic updates on the car, which again should help towards the advancement of the entire package."

Benetton should also be helped by their Michelin tyres, which are expected to be more competitive in France than the Bridgestones used by most other teams.

"We believe we are making progress and this is a good start to the second half of the season for us," Gascoyne said.

No quantum leap

"It has been a difficult start to the season but we always knew that this was going to be the case."

However, Benetton's drivers are not expecting a quantum leap forward.

Briton Jenson Button, whose future at the team is in doubt after a string of poor performances, said: "We are not going to be in the top 10, although hopefully we will be 14th and 15th.

"But you never know what the changes are going to do.