Breaking news
Formula 1
McLaren influence on Renault engine unlikely until 2020
Renault is open to McLaren influencing the design of its F1 engine, but says the British team is unlikely to have any impact until the partnership enters its third season.
Ben Anderson
Edited: Feb 7, 2018, 1:07 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
McLaren has given up works status with Honda to join Renault's customer F1 engine programme until the end of 2020, when the current V6 rules cycle concludes.
As a works partner with Honda, McLaren influenced the design and packaging of Honda's troubled F1 engine, sending personnel to Honda's Sakura HQ and even collaborating on the design of certain electrical components of the power unit.
By returning to customer status, McLaren will now have to adjust its 2018 chassis around whatever product Renault delivers.
McLaren hopes to influence Renault's engine in a similar way to Honda as their new relationship develops, but Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com the deal for 2018 came too late for McLaren to have any immediate say on engine design and packaging.
Abiteboul said Renault would be "open to their suggestion" but cautioned McLaren would probably have to wait until the final season of its initial three-year deal to hold any real sway.
"It's a bit complex," Abiteboul said. "First and foremost, we developed a complete power unit before working with McLaren, so it's not like with Honda, where Honda was dependent upon McLaren - we have the whole parameters of the power unit under our responsibility.
"I think we will take it step by step. We want to be very pragmatic. Clearly for 2018 and even 2019, it's very late for McLaren to have any influence on the hardware of the engine.
"Having said that, we want to be humble. We accept that we can improve our product, that we have to improve our product, and we will be open to their suggestion.
"I think it's more on the medium to long-term. First, we have to accept it's a new relationship, we will have to see how it evolves, but if it's working well, if it's a fruitful and positive relationship, then there is no reason it could not go further than this cycle of regulation.
"And therefore that we can have a different and more connected way of working together for the medium to long-term future. But it's not something for before 2020 in my opinion."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Analysis: How FIA will clamp down on F1 engine tricks
Next article When Ron Dennis took over the McLaren F1 team
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Ben Anderson
How Lauda won F1's closest ever title battle
Formula 1
Formula 1
How Lauda won F1's closest ever title battle
Testing the tiers of Porsche's motorsport ladder
Porsche
Porsche
Testing the tiers of Porsche's motorsport ladder
Track Test: Lamborghini Super Trofeo
General
General
Track Test: Lamborghini Super Trofeo
More from
McLaren
"Two steps forward, one step back" – Oscar Piastri explains the route out of McLaren's car woes
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
"Two steps forward, one step back" – Oscar Piastri explains the route out of McLaren's car woes
Why McLaren gave team order to Oscar Piastri in F1 US GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Why McLaren gave team order to Oscar Piastri in F1 US GP
Latest news
MotoGP Malaysian GP: Alex Marquez claims pole from Marc Marquez; Jorge Martin out
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
8 min
MotoGP Malaysian GP: Alex Marquez claims pole from Marc Marquez; Jorge Martin out
Two drivers and 20 points will determine NASCAR Trucks title at Homestead
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Martinsville
36 min
Two drivers and 20 points will determine NASCAR Trucks title at Homestead
Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson handed F1 Mexico GP grid penalties after practice clash
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
39 min
Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson handed F1 Mexico GP grid penalties after practice clash
Jorge Martin withdraws from Malaysian GP, putting MotoGP title hopes at risk
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
56 min
Jorge Martin withdraws from Malaysian GP, putting MotoGP title hopes at risk
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe