Renault F1/ Alpine at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
F1 fans assemble – it’s time to get VERY excited about the latest developments in terms of the French automaker’s F1 engine. Fair enough, we may be a little biased in this regard, but we are not the only ones who think so! Alpine Formula 1 driver Esteban Ocon is a big fan of the latest Renault engine upgrade as well…
“I did not have to be shy of anybody,” said Ocon after his latest on-track battle at the glittering Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. This follows in the wake of a power unit upgrade that was inspired by a lack of straight-line speed performance last year. And what a big step-up it was!
The race started out with Ocon pitted against teammate Fernando Alonso, and ended with him passing the winner’s line in a respectable sixth place. To get there, he had to do battle with Lando Norris in his McLaren, and Nico Hulkenberg in his zippy Aston. Ocon said that once the DRS was open, he was free to overtake these competitors easily (employing his trademark on-track skills, of course).
Ocon’s teammate Fernando Alonso also had plenty of praise for the upgraded Renault engine following their races in Bahrain and Jeddah. He noted that they were far more able to battle with their competitors on the straights and felt a lot more confident in their ability to perform overall.
Otmar Szafnauer, the Alpine team principal, said the next step to keep Renault on an upward trajectory in terms of overall F1 performance will require a firm focus on aero development. He said that the midfield competition is super tight and that the best way to gain traction in the development race is to focus on fine-tuning performance ability overall.
In short, the Renault F1 team has gained a tremendous confidence boost on the back of the latest improvements that have been made to the engine and powertrain. The more they learn on the track, the better they are able to focus their efforts to give their team the most competitive advantage when the chequered flag flies.
Check back soon for more insider insights about the amazing developments in the Groupe Renault camp. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with our teams in Stellenbosch and Johannesburg to learn more about the Renault models that are currently available in South Africa, and how they can improve your own performance on the road.
