Renault Sport F1: Substantial Progress in 2015

The introduction of the new turbo hybrid power unit technology in Formula 1 this season has been variously successful depending on the engine manufacturers: while Mercedes can undoubtedly boast of having the best power unit, particularly distinguishing itself on “engine” circuits, this is not the case for Renault. The diamond brand, after four years of domination with the V8 and especially with Red Bull, is currently facing difficulties.

More than its inferiority in terms of performance and reliability, it’s the inability to quickly close the gap with its competitors, induced by the engine freeze, that constitutes the pitfall of the V6 turbo hybrid from Viry-Châtillon: « The opportunity to change the hardware specification is extremely limited during the season, » explains Rob White, the deputy managing director of Renault Sport F1, for Autosport.

He admits, nonetheless, that progress has been made since the first laps: « So far, it hasn’t been an obstacle to the progress we’ve been able to make. […] We’ve been able to bring improvements and make significant progress this season in reducing the gap with our competitors. We’re still working and will be making further developments. »

The decisive developments, however, can only take place from next season, when most of the components of the power units can be modified: « But we rely on a development roadmap that offers more possibilities for making improvements by changing the specification [for 2015]. […] there is a part of the long-term work that can realistically, for regulatory, practical, and logical reasons, be carried out during the winter and not during the season. »

« Currently, the rules are very clear: we cannot change the specification unless approved by the FIA, which is normally not given for performance improvements, » adds Rob White, before specifying that there are still possibilities for the rest of 2014: « There are short-term things, potentially more important, that are possible. »

The engine freeze rules are primarily aimed at limiting the arms race, but for the British technician at Renault, it’s not an excuse to hide behind: « The technical and sporting regulations are the constraints within which we work, and our job is to make the best of them. It’s not obvious, with different restrictions at the level of homologation, whether the outcome would have been better or worse. »

For him, the problem is primarily that the hybrid block was not up to the expected level: « We were behind our internal target and therefore, I cannot be satisfied. We were not fast enough on the track to react or satisfy our teams and, as a result, obviously, we would have liked to do things differently and achieve a different outcome. But we are eager to continue [in this direction] to correct that. »

The best result for a car featuring a Renault hybrid turbo V6 was the victory of Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull at the Canadian Grand Prix; the race was marked by the simultaneous double failure of both Mercedes, victims of an MGU-K problem.