Breaking news
Formula 1
Renault won't rush further engine upgrades
Renault will only introduce further major engine upgrades if it serves its development programme for the 2017 F1 season, according to technical director Remi Taffin.
Pablo Elizalde
Edited: Jun 6, 2016, 10:11 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The French manufacturer decided to use three development tokens for its first big upgrade of the season, with the engine being introduced in the Monaco Grand Prix, where Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo gave his team its first pole position since the 2013 season.
The power unit was only available to Ricciardo and Renault's Kevin Magnussen, but their respective teammates Max Verstappen and Jolyon Palmer will, too, get the upgrade for Canada this week.
While the upgraded engine proved to be a significant step forward compared to its predecessor, Taffin says there are no fixed plans to introduce further major updates unless they are aimed at next year.
"Only if it's helping us for next year," Taffin told Motorsport.com about further upgrades this year. "At the moment we don't have any plans to say there will be a very good upgrade at that race and so on.
"We need to make this one work, which is the case and now we are going to get the most out of it and then, if we get anything in our development programme for next year to fit into this year, we will be doing that.
"Again, we've got a plan, and it was going into 2017 trying to make sure that by the first race of 2017 we are close to Mercedes to challenge them, and we will try to stick to that plan.
"Obviously we are trying to get as competitive as we can, so trying to push forward the B-spec was an achievement to us, and I think it was good for everyone."
Renault still has 21 tokens remaining - more than any other manufacturer - but Taffin insists they need to be used wisely.
"It's not really a matter of tokens this year," he said. "At the end of last year we used a lot of tokens that were not very fruitful due to the fact that we could not put everything in.
"That's why this year when we used six tokens for the first race it gave us a lot, and then another three... Everything has been shifting, so we get the rewards from last year.
"It's quite simple. We didn't make magic."
Taffin explained that the main changes introduced to the upgraded engine were in the combustion chamber.
"We have been raising our game in the internal combustion engine, so we basically tweaked the ignition system and took the benefit of a more efficient combustion system to try to get the most out of it.
"And the three tokens is basically based on the fact that we've been changing the combustion chamber."
Interview by Jonathan Noble
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 Williams can be "proud" of place in F1 pecking order
Next article Mercedes has "no breathing space" in F1 title battle
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Pablo Elizalde
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
MotoGP
MotoGP
Alpine becomes Pramac's main partner in MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
MotoGP
MotoGP
Liberty Media's $4bn MotoGP deal facing EU probe
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
Formula 1
Formula 1
Ocon wants answers to understand pace slump against Alpine team-mate
More from
Renault F1 Team
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
Formula 1
Formula 1
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Formula 1
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Formula 1
Formula 1
Monaco GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Latest news
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
5 h
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
8 h
Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction
William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
8 h
William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix
Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 8 h
Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring
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