With the 2017 season over, the Renault F1 Team looks ahead to 2018
2017 has been a year of many lessons for Renault’s Formula 1 Team. Going into the season Managing Director of the Renault Sport F1 Team, Frenchman Cyril Abiteboul had hoped that his team would take come in fifth. Thanks to a range of technical issues in Mexico the French F1 powerhouse failed to score any points.
“For its part, the Mexican Grand Prix was particularly difficult with a number of unacceptable mechanical problems and we have the clear intention to take fast and strong measures,” Abiteboul said. “The particularities of Mexico accentuated our weaknesses, but clearly we have not been successful in balancing performance and reliability.”
Despite the disasters that befell the team in Mexico, Cyril Abiteboul remained upbeat but realistic: “Whilst achieving this (fifth place for 2017) is still mathematically possible, it is now a tall order after a race where we didn’t score points. Mexico highlighted our performance potential. Both cars sadly retired, however the two cars reached Q3 and lined up seventh and eighth on the grid and were in fourth and fifth at the end of the first lap. Points were clearly within our reach.”
It is this sheer determination and belief in the team that has driven Renault’s total overhaul of its F1 championship contender for next year’s hotly contested first place on the podium. With just a few minor tweaks to the rules for the 2018 season, apart from the newly implemented halo cockpit protection device, Renault is currently working on producing a more aerodynamic, more efficient vehicle.
“We’re making strong progress at Enstone and it’s where our focus lies,” explained Nick Chester, Renault’s technical director, when asked about the progress of the new racer. “It’s a completely new car despite a relatively low number of regulation changes. We’ve learned a lot on the aerodynamic package and the balance of a car built to 2017 regulations, so the car should represent a strong step forward,” he went on to say.
So, it is with baited breath and eager anticipation that we patiently wait for the unveiling of what looks likely to be setting the pace for 2018.
