Renault reveals F1 engine token use

The FIA confirmed on Saturday how many tokens each of the manufacturers had spent so far this season as they work on upgrading their power units.

The news formally confirms that Ferrari has spent three on the combustion updates to its power unit introduced for Russia, and that Mercedes has also used two for the fuel system changes.

However, it also revealed that Renault had spent one, which team principal Frederic Vasseur said had actually been brought in to play two races ago.

“It was in Bahrain – but it was nothing major,” he said. “It is Canada where we will have a huge step.”

Renault control

Speaking before this weekend, Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul said that the French car manufacturer was not going to be over-aggressive with its Canada plans.

Instead, it wanted to make sure that what it delivered with its B-spec engine would actually result in a step forward on track – and not disappoint like an end-of-season upgrade that came in to play in 2015.

“It is going to be a step – but frankly we are not putting in that step everything that we have in the pipeline,” he told Motorsport.com.

“We had some opportunities to put every single thing we have thought of. But no, we prefer to continue to keep control and to target Canada, because it is a track that is power sensitive and it is by when we think we will have done the job properly – rather than rushing something one or two races before.

“But again, it is also part of what we have in the pipeline and there will be more to come. Maybe later in the season, but more realistically next season.

“It is a long term plan and there is absolutely no reason to try to rush something. But that new spec should give to Red Bull the extra boost to be a regular contender of at least Ferrari.”

Tokens used so far:

Ferrari 26 (6 remaining)
Honda 18 (14 remaining)
Mercedes 21 (11 remaining)
Renault 8 (24 remaining)

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