Overview – Friday – Renault from top to bottom

The Renault F1 Team was back on track today as part of the first practice sessions for the Malaysian Grand Prix, at the Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur. In very hot and particularly humid conditions, Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet followed their setup and tire evaluation program.

Fernando Alonso experienced a slight disruption to his schedule due to a gearbox issue that deprived him of second gear in the second half of the afternoon. However, he was still able to continue with his program.

Fernando Alonso – 6th and 14th:

« It was very hot today for this first day of work. I had a gearbox problem this afternoon, which slightly disrupted my schedule, but we still managed to make good progress and wrap up the first day with interesting data for tomorrow’s qualifications. We will try to analyze them tonight and make the most of the final session tomorrow. Improving our performance level during qualifications is always our goal, and we are working in that direction.

Nelson Piquet, for his part, had a good first day with 71 laps covered, allowing him to make good progress in his program and to get his bearings on this Sepang track that he already knows.

Nelson Piquet – 7th and 15th:

« I did a lot of laps today, I was able to go through the scheduled program and it really makes a big difference. I learned a lot and I feel more comfortable, the fact that I know this track undoubtedly helps. I hope it continues like this until Sunday. As for the car, I am satisfied with its performance, there is still work to be done but overall, the assessment of this first day is quite encouraging. »

Pat Symonds – Executive Director of Engineering:

« Fernando [Alonso] had a gearbox problem and lost second gear, which is penalizing on this Sepang track. Given the new regulatory context regarding gearboxes, we decided that, even though it was a test gearbox, it was better to continue and allow him to carry on to see what would happen. Before the end of the session, the gearbox finally failed. Nelson [Piquet] pushed hard this weekend, and his initial performances seem good. Our goal today was to develop the car and allow him to find his bearings, so we used the tires in a way that would allow him to learn as much as possible rather than aiming for a timed lap. »

Denis Chevrier – Head of Trackside Engine Teams:

« This morning’s first session went well for us, even though it was slightly shortened due to a neutralization. In the second session, Alonso had a gearbox problem, but we still managed to make good progress. With Piquet, we had a busy program that we managed to complete, which, again, is encouraging. As is often the case at the end of a Friday, it’s important not to give too much importance to the hierarchy that emerged today. »

On the engine side, everything went well and we have no particular concerns. We have gathered a lot of information that we must now make the most of in preparation for tomorrow afternoon’s qualifications.

According to the Renault F1 Team