Renault and Magnussen blaze through the Sepang heat
Kevin Magnussen had a hot start to FP1 when his single-seater suddenly burst into flames just outside his pit. The rest of the day was calmer for the Dane and his team-mate, Jolyon Palmer, who were able to complete their test program without any further problems.
This will remain the image of the first day of the Malaysian Grand Prix: Kevin Magnussen’s Renault catching fire in the pit lane! More fear than harm in the end, but a shortened program for the Dane who had a close call: We expected it to be hot in Sepang, but maybe not to this extent! My team was very efficient in containing the fire and getting the car back on track for FP2. As for me, I heard the order to get out on the radio, and I didn’t need to be told twice!
Fortunately, the team identified the problem and found effective solutions to prevent this issue from happening again in the future: « There was a valve issue with a vent valve. Fuel leaked out and caused a fire. The team did an excellent job of keeping everything under control so we could address this issue. We have changed the fuel systems and do not expect any further problems, confirms Nick Chester, Renault’s technical director.
The team was able to get its driver back on track for FP2, which represents a small feat: « In the afternoon, we were able to do a few laps. So it wasn’t a day to completely forget. With the initial setup, there’s a bit too much oversteer entering corners, but we know where we want to improve. » says Magnussen.
His teammate, Jolyon Palmer, had a calmer and more studious day: « It was a pretty linear day on my side of the garage. I think all the action was focused on Kevin today. This morning, we had a few small moments pushing the limits on this new track surface, but it’s always very pleasant to drive on this circuit. We made decent progress for the afternoon, and we should be well-positioned to make further progress tomorrow. »
Drama early on in the pit lane as MAG leaps from flames engulfing his car
He has escaped unhurt #FP1 #MalaysiaGP 🇲🇾 pic.twitter.com/aWKtt9HWZM
— Formula 1 (@F1) 30 septembre 2016
