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Australia 2018 - GP Preview - Renault F1

Team quotes

By Franck Drui

17 March 2018 - 10:12
Australia 2018 - GP Preview - Renault F1

Cyril Abiteboul

Ahead of us is a very long 21-race calendar during which many things will happen. This puts a premium on stability and consistency, which we feel we have increased as we enter our third year as Renault Sport Formula One Team. We have a new car with lots of things going on aerodynamically and under the bodywork that are not immediately visible. Everything as a whole will evolve a lot over the course of the year.

Adding to our confidence we have two highly motivated drivers who know the team very well. This showed over the course of testing – they didn’t make any mistakes and gave very detailed feedback that gave us extremely clear indications on the direction to take both for Melbourne and in the longer term.

Of course there are some unknowns. Our relative level of performance compared to the rest of the field will only be clear in Australia. We are totally realistic that the midfield is very close, but our objectives are to start the season in the way we finished 2017: united, dedicated, racing hard and pushing all the way.

Bob Bell

After a busy off-season, the Renault R.S.18 heads to Melbourne with a point to prove. Chief Technical Officer Bob Bell explains the battle plan ahead of Albert Park.

Where do we see ourselves heading into Melbourne?

We had a solid winter test campaign with reliability so that’s good cause for optimism. In terms of performance, it’s difficult to say where we are. The top three teams are out in front again, but behind you have ourselves, Force India, Toro Rosso, Haas and McLaren in the mix. There’s not an awful lot to separate us, so it’s difficult to draw firm conclusions before the first Grand Prix. I think we’ve done a good job of developing the car and I think we’ll be in there with a chance of a haul of points.

How much of a challenge is the first race of a Formula 1 season?

We’ll all be a bit rusty in terms of going racing and we have to ensure all components are built and shipped there in time. All of those things add together to make it a challenging race. Australia is certainly, from that perspective, more difficult than it is from any other aspect.

What are the main characteristics of the Albert Park circuit?

Albert Park has a load of low speed corners, a reasonable number of straights and it puts high demands on the braking system. Normally, it’s a moderate temperature at that time of year in Melbourne so it’s not overly demanding on the thermal side of the power unit. Overtaking opportunities aren’t great, it’s more of a street circuit than anything else, so it’ll put emphasis on having good braking, decent low speed performance and good traction. We want to ensure things get to the end of the race without issues.

Were there any surprises up and down the field at the winter tests?

I’m not sure if we are seeing teams’ true pace at the minute. All teams will bring upgrade packages to Melbourne, and that’s when everyone shows their true hands.

What do you make of Pirelli’s updated tyre range?

They’ve brought in a couple more compounds so we’re up to seven dry tyres now, ranging from the Superhard to the Hypersoft. I think from Barcelona we learnt there isn’t much to choose between the Soft, Supersoft and Ultrasoft which we will have in Melbourne, but that might be a quirk from Barcelona and the temperatures we saw there. The Hypersoft is a good step in terms of performance. It’s too early to judge the usefulness of the new tyre range. We will have to get a few races under our belt at normal temperature conditions to assess that.

Nico Hülkenberg

Nico Hülkenberg enters his eighth season in Formula 1 with high expectations and the will to succeed. Now, with one season under his belt at Enstone, The Hulk is raring to race around the picturesque Albert Park for the 2018 opener.

How is The Hulk feeling ahead of the 2018 season-opener?

I’m ready to go and I can’t wait to get the season underway. Australia is one of my favourite races because Melbourne is a great city, and the fans are always fantastic, knowledgeable, passionate for motorsport and know a lot about Formula 1. I really enjoy Melbourne as it’s a comfortable and very relaxed atmosphere there.

What do you like about the Albert Park circuit?

Albert Park itself is beautiful, especially in the morning when you see it’s packed with fans. The circuit is unique and packs a couple of challenges in places. Sector two is probably my favourite part, just after turns three and four as there is a quick right-hander, narrow on the exit and no run-off area, then the following right-hander is also bumpy on entry, underneath trees, with some nice kerbs. It’s a great track to race with some fast sections even though it’s a street course. It’s a good way to kick-off the season as everyone is pumped and very excited to get into the car and race.

Is your preparation different for this race given that it’s the first of the season?

We arrive there quite early to get acclimatised to the time change and the conditions. It’s been a long off-season, but now I’m ready and relishing getting out to Melbourne. Once you’re sat in the car, on the grid and watching the lights, it’s business as usual and I’m buzzing to experience that feeling again.

Do you head to Australia with confidence?

I feel positive. We’ve collected a lot of miles and data over winter testing which isn’t always the case, so that’s really beneficial to the team. I have a year’s worth of experience with the Renault family so that’s a good advantage for the first race. We’ve certainly made progress, not just over the whole of 2017 but also over the winter. We won’t know anything, or where we’re at exactly, until Saturday’s qualifying. I’m ready for that challenge and excited to get down to it and give it my all.

Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz begins his first full season with Renault Sport Formula One Team in Melbourne, a circuit which has played kindly for him in his first three Formula 1 seasons.

How prepared are you for the first race of the 2018 Formula 1 season?

I’m ready and if there’s a race you’re ready for, it’s Australia. You’ve been thinking and preparing for it for months, so it’s a race which brings high levels of motivation. I’ve done my best to pass the time through the off-season, I’ve done a lot of training, driven at Rallye Monte-Carlo and enjoyed testing in Barcelona. But now the time has come to get down to it and we have to refocus the body and the mind to getting the best results in 2018.

Why do you think your record in Australia is successful?

It’s one of my favourite tracks, not only for the layout, but also for the weekend itself. I have a positive record in Australia as I’ve finished ninth twice and eighth last year, so it’s one I have a bit of consistency at. Last year it was the first race with the wider cars and it was exceptionally noticeable around Albert Park we had to change our trajectory into corners to not touch the walls especially as it’s quite a narrow circuit. There’s no room for error as it’s quite unforgiving in that regard!

How do you feel ahead of the first Grand Prix?

I’m feeling good and that confidence has been boosted by pre-season testing. We gained a lot of data, and from both a personal view and the team view, we know we have to begin the season in Australia on a bright note and all of our efforts will be going in to achieve just that.

What will you do in the build-up to the race?

Because Australia is the first race of the year and it’s the furthest away from home, it’s a race we arrive at the earliest. It’s important to have some free time there and get acclimatised to everything. The time change is also significant and that’s something we consider in our preparation, probably more so than at any other race. But, the early arrival means we have some extra time to see the beautiful city of Melbourne and go and visit some cool places. I visited the zoo in Melbourne one year, and I’m a big lover of meerkats, so maybe I will go and say ‘hello’ to them again!

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