Renault: Improvements Validated During Test with Lotus

Renault has confirmed that it validated several updates and developments of its hybrid V6 turbo engine during the two promotional days conducted by the Lotus team, on February 7th and 8th. This communication comes in the context of the Jerez tests, which were marked by numerous difficulties encountered by the French brand with their engine units.

Thus, our British colleagues from ESPN F1 relayed the information provided by Renault in a statement following the “promotional” run at the end of last week: « The basic objectives were to support the Lotus program with a configuration and operation of the power unit to ensure system control and basic operations with the car. »

This support from the Lotus program allowed the diamond firm to validate several corrections made to the power unit: « The latest configuration of the hybrid unit operated without any reliability issues, allowing Lotus to complete the maximum running permitted during a filming day. » Indeed, the Enstone team – through Gérard Lopez – indicated on Infosport + that the Lotus E22, powered by Renault, « was running like clockwork » during the session on Saturday, February 8th.

« The improvements developed on the test bench at Viry-Châtillon during and after the Jerez tests have been introduced. These updates included minor hardware changes, software bug fixes, and calibration enhancements, » states Renault.

The French engine manufacturer nevertheless wanted to clarify a point regarding compliance with regulatory limits concerning “Promotional Events”: « It should be noted that no development continued during the filming day, as stipulated by the sporting regulations; rather, improvements tested on the Viry test bench were validated. »

This clarification from Renault is not innocent and clearly reflects the intention not to pass off what has been presented as promotional running (defined in Article 22.1 of the 2014 Sporting Regulations) as an actual testing session. In fact, this ambiguity does exist, even though the regulations also state, in Article 22.2, that teams must inform the FIA, at least 72 hours in advance, about « the nature » and « the purpose » of these tests.

If it is not impossible to counter that these test drives are usually diverted from their primary purpose—purely promotional or mercantile considerations (article 22.1 paragraph 2)—they were of crucial importance in the current period both for Lotus, who did not drive during the first winter tests, and for Renault, who did not hide their satisfaction after the introduction of new improvements. However, no information has emerged on whether, as the regulations foresee, a FIA observer was indeed present and if the Saturday session was conducted at a sufficiently significant pace to fall outside the regulatory framework.

In any case, Renault reiterated its short and medium-term objectives and, in doing so, its guiding principle regarding the definitive resolution of the issues encountered in Jerez last January: « As usual, everyone is involved to provide the performance and reliability required for the normal operation of the engine block and a fully competitive 2014 season. »