Pranešimas spaudai
We have a new car that has shown potential in Barcelona. The power unit has made
progress and our driver line-up of Daniel and Nico is perhaps the strongest on the grid. We’re
looking forward to seeing them showcasing their experience and talent on track. There is a
lot of expectation for the first race, especially with Daniel’s debut for the team coming at his
home Grand Prix.
The two pre-season tests in Barcelona were productive. We ran through our programme
largely as planned, thanks to racking up a lot of kilometres. However, only the race will
answer the outstanding questions and allow us to see where we are and to make further
progress; it will be the hour of truth. This makes the first race of the season one of the most
intense of the year for every team.
The power unit performance is there, with a clear step forward and consistent with our
targets, which is very satisfying. Given the level of reliability demonstrated in Barcelona, the
sensitivity over this aspect will be a little different. From now, reliability will not necessarily
score points, as it had in the past, but any resulting DNFs will be more costly. We will
therefore be particularly vigilant in this regard at the start of the year.
The 21-race calendar will bring opportunities for us to continue our progress. Our objective of
closing the gap to the best in class is ambitious but we are resolute and every detail will be
taken into consideration. We believe in our ability and we aim to set the tone for a good
season in Australia this weekend.
The Greatest Show
With pre-season testing over, the team heads to Albert Park, Melbourne, for the first race of
the year. Chassis Technical Director Nick Chester explains the strengths of the Renault
R.S.19.
What are your feelings heading into the first race of the year?
The competition looks like it will be very tight. Year on year the competitive landscape has
evolved and we cannot count on our closest competitors’ weaknesses. We knew with the
regulation changes there was a possibility it would become even tighter and this has been
played out. From our point of view, we had two good weeks of pre-season testing, covering
good mileage and we went through a variety of test items as planned, meaning we go to
Melbourne well prepared.
Has winter testing given a solid platform to attack the start of the season well?
We have a decent balance on the car and we obtained a vast amount of data to understand
the main characteristics of our package. We have been able to identify the best set-up for the
drivers to optimise their performance. We’ve already put some performance parts on the car
in the last days of testing at Barcelona that worked well and we have more to come in
Melbourne. Overall, we have a strong package and the development programme outlined for
the first part of the season is very intense.
What are the main challenges of Albert Park?
Beginning the season on a street course throws up some challenges, especially after coming
in from testing on a smooth, permanent surface. The track is usually a bit dirty on Friday with
lack of grip and there’s always a challenge in striking a good setup as it’s a bumpy circuit.
Drivers and engineers almost need to start from zero compared to Barcelona testing.
Temperatures can vary a lot in Melbourne and the rain can sometimes roll in from the bay
nearby and that’s something to keep in mind.
Pumped up
The Australian Grand Prix kicks off Nico Hülkenberg’s third season with the team and his
ninth year in Formula 1. After posting the fifth fastest time in pre-season testing, Nico is
pumped up and chomping at the bit ready to begin the campaign at Albert Park.
How excited are you for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix?
I’m very excited to head out to Melbourne. At testing, and across the winter, there was a lot
of speculation and anticipation, but the first race weekend is when the talking stops and we
find out for real where we stand. Testing went reasonably well, but we don’t know anything
for certain until we hit the track in Australia. The midfield will always be competitive, but we
focus on ourselves, stay on top of things and ensure our developments give us
improvements.
What’s the mindset heading to Australia?
Our main goal is to put ourselves in a better position than last year. We want to reward
ourselves with more points and better results. A lot of hard work has gone into this and we
head to Melbourne as prepared as we can be, and I’m quite happy with that. I have a new
team-mate who brings a positive challenge. We’ll bring out the best from each other. He’s a
quality driver and we’ll test each other and that’s a challenge I look forward to taking on.
What are the early feelings of the 2019 package?
It does feel similar to last year’s car but that’s not a huge surprise given a lot of it is quite
stable from last year. I feel comfortable in the car and it was nice to go over 500 laps over the
two weeks. We built up a good database ahead of Melbourne. We’ve certainly improved our
package in many areas, but there are also many areas which we need to develop; that’s an
ongoing story in Formula 1. We’re happy with our baseline.
How challenging is the Melbourne Street Circuit?
It’s always a challenge going from a two-week test on a smooth circuit to racing on a
temporary street track. You feel those bumps in the early Friday running and there’s usually
a lack of grip as the course won’t have been rubbered in. Having said that, it does improve
as the weekend goes on, once you grow more accustomed. The setting is very pretty inside
Albert Park and it’s always packed with fans. There are some fast sections and good kerbs to
ride which is satisfying when you get them right. It’s a great venue to start the year and I’m
very excited to jump in the car for FP1.
Renault Sport Racing
Renault’s squad of young drivers are preparing for the start of the 2019 season with a series
of winter tests across Europe.
In Formula 2, Test Driver Jack Aitken, Development Driver Guanyu Zhou and Academy
member Anthoine Hubert have been behind the wheel at Jerez and Barcelona, Spain, as
they get ready for the season opener in Bahrain at the end of March.
As part of his role as Test Driver, Jack will attend the Australian Grand Prix with the team.
Formula Renault Eurocup duo Victor Martins and Caio Collet tested the new 2019 car at
Magny Cours, France, last week.
Formula 3 drivers Max Fewtrell and Christian Lundgaard begin their season preparations at
Circuit Paul Ricard on 20-21 March for the first pre-season test in the newly named category
(formerly GP3 Series).
Tyres:
Hard, C2 (White)
Nico – 2
Daniel – 1
Medium, C3 (Yellow)
Nico – 1
Daniel - 2
Soft, C4 (Red)
Nico – 10
Daniel - 10
