The return of F1 in France will be “necessarily emotional” for Renault
The Sporting Director of Renault, Cyril Abiteboul, was at the Circuit du Castellet, just like Motorsinside, during the presentation of the track that will host the French Grand Prix. A golden opportunity for Renault's strongman to take some notes and give his opinion on the layout.
Present at the Circuit du Castellet for the presentation of the track that will host the French Grand Prix next June, Cyril Abiteboul, the Sporting Director of the Renault team, was impressed by the layout of the venue: “Spectators will find their share, there are really nice spots. Especially the Camp corner section, which is like a small stadium and will offer both something visually interesting and a potentially interesting challenge for the cars. All the modifications to the circuit were made with the spectator at the heart of the matter,” the Frenchman enthuses.
For Renault, the only French team on the starting grid, this event is likely to be special: “It will certainly be a rather emotional moment, that’s for sure. I’m not projecting too much, but there will at least be one Marseillaise playing at the start, and that moment will be important. Just like being at Silverstone is an important moment for a good number of people working in Formula 1, which is still a very British sport,” says Abiteboul.
But Renault’s approach will not differ for its national Grand Prix, which will remain a race as important as the others, warns the sporting director of the diamond firm: « There are 21 races, each race is important and we want to do our best each time. After that, there is no particular preparation to shine at the French Grand Prix. In terms of aerodynamic characteristics, it’s a fairly balanced, fairly standard track that won’t require a special package like in Monaco or Baku, for example. So when preparing for a season, we also prepare for a Castellet. »
When asked if his presence on-site could bring a slight advantage to his team for the Grand Prix, Abiteboul responds amused: “I can’t claim that, no. Let’s just say that coming on-site always offers us a different perspective, no matter the place. So I think when we talk about it, when we hold briefings, we can pay special attention to certain elements that I’m currently looking at. But, you know, engineers and simulation tools are, unfortunately, so much more relevant than the human eye, even the most seasoned one. However, I’ll still send my drivers, they’re both not far off!” he concludes with a touch of humor.
