Renault Reveal 2018 Car

(Image credit to: Renault Sport Formula One Team)

    Renault Formula 1 team has launched its 2018 car, the R.S.18, ahead of the 2018 F1 championship.

    Now in its third season in F1 as a manufacturer, Renault is aiming to continue to improve after finishing sixth in the constructors’ championship last season.

    The R.S.18 is a development of the team’s 2017 car, with a focus on improved suspension and aerodynamic down force.

    “We have everything to be positive about this year,” said team boss Cyril Abiteboul. “We have two very talented and ambitious drivers. Last year Nico [Hulkenberg] gave us exactly what we needed with his experience, knowledge, and ability to lead both on and off track. Carlos [Sainz Jnr] joined us at the end of last season and he brought something fresh, and he scored points to help us in the constructors’ battle. Without that we wouldn’t have finished where we finished.

    Our headline target is to show continued progression through results. We want to be able to showcase our progression in every regard: power unit, chassis, operations, drivers. Everything must improve and we must continue to grow.

    We want to demonstrate this in many different ways, from the teams we will be directly racing against, to the gap to the leaders, including also our fan base and the respect that our team will inspire in our way we behave on and off track.”

    Renault has also put considerable effort into improving its engine, which it will supply to Red Bull and McLaren in 2018.

    Last year, the Renault power unit was less than reliable, with a number of drivers suffering engine failures over the course of the season.

    With the reduction in the number of components available to drivers in 2018, Renault has focused on improving reliability, boasting in a press release that “The power unit has realized a very strong programme on the dyno in Viry-Chatillon to maximize performance and improve reliability”.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Renault Confirms Sainz For 2018

RENAULT CONFIRMS CARLOS SAINZ FOR 2018

    Carlos Sainz Jnr will replace Jolyon Palmer at Renault for the 2018 Formula 1 season.

    Sainz will switch from Toro Rosso, where he made his F1 debut in 2015, as part of the deal to allow the team to end its deal with Renault early.

    It’s understood Sainz has only been loaned to Renault, and could return to a Red Bull team in the future.

    “To be a Formula 1 driver for a manufacturer team is an honour and I hope to reward Renault’s faith in me with my very best performances on track,” Sainz said.

    “The trajectory of Renault Formula One Team is exciting and I’m proud to join at such an important time in their history.

    I am looking forward to working with everyone at Enstone and Viry, and driving alongside Nico Hulkenberg.

    I have worked very closely with Renault in Formula 1 and previously in motorsport, so I know their motivation and capabilities.”

    Before joining Toro Rosso alongside Max Verstappen in 2015, Sainz raced in the Formula Renault 3.5 series, taking the title in 2014 with seven victories.

    Since joining F1, Sainz has taken 100 points from 25 points finishes, with a best finish of sixth

    “Carlos Sainz is a very promising driver who has been on our radar for some time, especially after his successes in Renault junior formulae,” Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul said.

    “It is positive news for us to be able to confirm Carlos for 2018. This choice is well aligned with out mid-term strategic plans.

    We feel that Nico and Carlos will complement each other on and off track and the combination should help us push forwards on the grid.”

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Kubica Confirmed To Test For Renault

ROBERT KUBICA CONFIRMED TO TEST FOR RENAULT

    Robert Kubica will drive the current Renault Formula 1 car during the in-season test after the Hungary Grand Prix.

    The Polish driver was left with only partial movement in his right arm after a rally crash in 2011. He hasn’t raced in F1 since, but rumours about a possible return have spread since he began testing in a 2012 Renault.

    Kubica has already completed two tests in the old spec Renault and says his injury hasn’t affected his driving, but is yet to drive a car from the current regulations.

    “After this test, we will carefully analyse the collected information to determine in what conditions it would be possible for Robert to return to competition in the upcoming years,” said Renault F1’s managing director Cyril Abiteboul.

    Kubica will be joined by Renault junior driver Nicholas Latifi.

    Rules state that two of the four in-season test days must be completed by rookies. Kubica, who raced in 76 F1 races before his accident, does not count as a rookie.

    As Nico Hulkenberg completed the Bahrain test, Renault will only have one test day remaining for a current driver.

    Also confirmed for the Hungary test at the start of August is George Russell (Mercedes), Nikita Mazepin (Force India), Lucas Auer (Force India), Luca Ghiotto (Williams), Felipe Massa (Williams), Santino Ferrucci (Haas), Nobuharu Matsushita (Sauber), Gustav Malja (Sauber), and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).

    Red Bull, Toro Rosso, and McLaren are yet to announce their line-up, and Ferrari hasn’t confirmed whether Kimi Raikkonen or Sebastian Vettel will join Leclerc for the test.

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Renault Launch R.S.17

RENAULT LAUNCH R.S.17

    Renault are aiming for fifth in the 2017 Formula One championship with their newly unveiled R.S.17.

    The 2017 challenger, the first car which Enstone and Viry have worked together on, was designed from scratch in order to conform to the new regulations.

    “It’s a great moment for everyone that’s involved,” said Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul at the launch. “We will know if it’s a fast car in Melbourne but the level or detail show what’s been done and achieved over the past few weeks… the level of integration between the engine and the chassis is just amazing. Thanks again for all the hard work that has been done by the team to get to this fantastic result.”

    Fifth in the championship may sound like a relatively uninspired target, but it is a realistic one, and one that fits Renault’s long term plan.

    “I think that 2017 will be a great year, an exciting year, and also a crucial year,” said president of Renault Sport Racing Jerome Stoll. “One year ago, we set the vision for the competition within Renault, we set the ambition for Formula One. And all along the 2016 year we have been working by investing a lot in order to close the gap to the best players.”

    “Last year was about putting together the foundation of our mid- to long-term plan,” added Abiteboul. “It’s been done in the office. Now we need to deliver on track.”

    Last season, in the Renault’s first in F1 since returning as a full works team, Renault finished ninth in the constructors’ championship with only three points finishes.

    Jolyon Palmer will remain at the team, and be joined by Nico Hulkenberg, who makes the switch from Force India. Serge Sirotkin will remain as the reserve driver and is expected to run more in free practice sessions this season.

    Four time F1 champion Alain Prost also joins the team as Renault Sport Racing Special Advisor, though he emphasized that he would not be involved in the day to day running of the team.

    “My position would be from a little bit more behind,” Prost said. “Sometimes it’s good to have this kind of situation. Being at the committee is very important and together with Jerome and Cyril what is important is to give the input and to give the best decision possible to have the best strategy possible to be a winning team in the future.”

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Renault Confirms Palmer For 2017

RENAULT CONFIRMS PALMER FOR 2017

    Jolyon Palmer will remain at Renault Sport team for his second season in Formula One, despite only taking a single point so far in his debut year. Palmer will line up Nico Hulkenberg at the team next year.

    After Hulkenberg was announced to be joining the team, Palmer and current teammate Kevin Magnussen have been battling for the final seat at the team. Magnussen has outscored his teammate on nine occasions, and has six more points than Palmer.

    “Jolyon has shown his hunger to develop with us as the team grows and we have been impressed with his increasingly strong performances on track as the season has progressed,” said Jerome Stoll, the Renault Sport Racing Chairman. “We are confident that the combination of Jolyon and Nico Hulkenberg offers a very promising driving force to meet our goals.”

    Renault are hoping to continue developing. Hulkenberg’s commitment to the team shows that there are some in the paddock that believe it won’t be long until they are a race winning team, and not one that has only had three points finishes so far. And with Renault’s development, Palmer is hoping to develop too.

    “Having worked out of Enstone since 2015 I can fully appreciate the development of the infrastructure this year,” said Palmer. “This means I share the excitement of the team looking to 2017 and our new car. For me, it’s been a steep learning curve driving in Formula 1 and I know that I am performing better than ever, and that there’s still more to come.”

    This confirmation takes another seat off of the market. Sauber and Manor are yet to confirm their line ups, whilst Force India and Haas both have a single seat each up for grabs.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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