New colours, new challenge for Renault

Renault took the covers off its 2010 challenger, the R30, today in front of assembled media at the Valencia circuit in Spain.

Robert Kubica was on hand to unveil the car and reveal the striking new black and yellow livery – the iconic colours made famous by Renault in the 1980s. The team also presented Vitaly Petrov as Kubica’s team-mate for the 2010 season.

With stable aero regulations the R30 is a mixture of evolution and revolution, and is much more svelte and attractive than its predecessor. In particular the rear of the car has been considerably reworked to allow the car to make the most of the ‘double-decker’ diffusers that were first seen last year.

Changes have also been made to the architecture of the chassis to adapt to the refuelling ban, which has required the installation of a much larger fuel tank.

Speaking at the presentation, team principal Eric Boullier praised the team’s efforts in delivering the new car in time for the first test. “We’ve been working flat-out during the winter to ensure that we begin the new season in the best shape possible. The R30 should be a competitive, strong and reliable car, and we’ve opted for an aggressive development strategy throughout the season. Now we’re here ready for the first test and we’re all excited to see if the car performs as we think it will.”

Both Kubica and Petrov spoke of their hopes for the season ahead: “The team has been working on the new car for a long time and it’s clear that we are moving in the right direction,” said Kubica. “Now we need to maximise the winter tests to keep up this momentum and continue improving the car. Our priority is to make the car easy to drive because the new rules favour cars that are not too sensitive – we need a car that behaves consistently in a wide range of conditions.”

Petrov added: “The new car looks stunning and the colours remind everybody of Renault’s great history in the sport. I can’t wait to drive the car for the first time and start working with the team.”

Renault will remain in Valencia until Wednesday evening to complete the first pre-season test session.