Renault needs more than just aero gains

Renault’s team principal Cyril Abiteboul says the team cannot focus on aerodynamics as the sole area it needs to improve on as it launches its new car for 2017.

The overhaul of F1’s technical regulations for 2017 has put greater emphases on aerodynamics, which was a major weakness of Renault’s 2016 car. But Abiteboul wants his team to keep looking at the bigger picture.

Pictures of Renault’s new F1 car for 2017

“Any neglect of any particular area gives the opposition an advantage. The aero, the mechanical systems, the reliability, the integration, the way we manage the car at the track, the strategy, the control systems, driver management, quality of trackside engineering, all of these aspects need to take a step forward.”

“We can’t just point the finger at aero and say that they are solely responsible for leading us to glory in this brave new world of the 2017 regulations, we need to target every aspect.”

Abiteboul said the team has expanded quicker than any other in the pit lane since Renault took over from Lotus at the end of 2015.

“We are the fastest growing team on the grid,” he said. “We have increased headcount by approximately 25% in Enstone and in Viry.”

“We have recruited great talents from the best teams who have either joined us or will be over the next year or so. Names like Chris Dyer, Ciaron Pilbeam and Peter Machin. We have a few more key personnel still to come.”

“We have accelerated our investment by a factor of the what the tops teams are usually spending to accelerate the transformation in Enstone and in Viry, and in some sectors, we have not only caught up, but we are actually leading in terms of facilities.”

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10 comments on “Renault needs more than just aero gains – Abiteboul”

Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
21st February 2017, 16:48
Why is Renault sporting a spanish sponsor?
1. GeeMac (@geemac)
  21st February 2017, 17:02
  Is there any reason it shouldn’t? It already has other non-French sponsors….
  1. Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
    21st February 2017, 17:56
    @geemac @greggriffiths Mapfre often sponsors spanish drivers/riders. Wasn’t Renault vying for Sainz jr, or maybe it’s there for Merhi or Juncadella. I think @casjo is right, maybe it’s for Alonso!
    1. G. (#F1insperations) (@greggriffiths)
      21st February 2017, 22:38
      Ok @pairtree … Thanks for that. Im not totally ofay with how there sponsoring system works..But thats interesting (and that’s not being sarcastic btw)
2. G. (#F1insperations) (@greggriffiths)
  21st February 2017, 17:03
  because a spanish company/individual agreed to sponser them. :)
3. Fu Manchu (@fumanchu)
  21st February 2017, 17:07
  Maybe Carlos Sainz could be join them in 2018. Spanish media is talking about today.
4. Jordi Casademunt (@casjo)
  21st February 2017, 17:33
  Alonso to Renault in 2018 confirmed?
5. Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
  21st February 2017, 18:00
  Well done on spotting. I can barely see a sponsor other than Castrol!
  I can see that there is some writing in a few places, but really it’s so small it’s barely worth the cost of the paint job.
  And that is in a shiny promo photo of a stationary car. No wonder there are so few sponsors left if that’s all you get for your money.
Antizyklon
21st February 2017, 18:27
That MAPFRE sponsoring could be because of Sainz jr. planning to join the squad in 2018. I don’t think any insurance company would sponsor Alonso after Singapore 2008. In fact one of Alonsos main sponsor “Mutua Madrileña” (another big insurance company in Spain), withdrew its sponsorship after the incident. Its a shame if you compare how the Renault RS27 from 10 years ago, and every other car in the grid, had so many “big” sponsors, and now only minor stickers.
1. G. (#F1insperations) (@greggriffiths)
  21st February 2017, 22:33
  Has Sainz jr. Basically commited to the move if nothing better turns up then. That’s one thing I hadn’t heard.