Q&A with Carlos Ghosn (Renault)

Renault has just won the constructor and drivers’ titles for the second consecutive year, the tenth team title for the brand. What are your thoughts on this?

I’m really happy as it justifies the years of effort we’ve put in. It also justifies a strategy that wasn’t an easy decision back in 2009. As you will remember, most of the other car manufacturers decided to leave F1. We asked ourselves a lot of questions as well. We took a difficult decision at that time, but I think the results of Red Bull Racing show that it was a good strategic decision. I am very happy as it justifies the strategy and, at the same time, rewards the efforts of the hundreds of people working in Renault to give the best engines to our teams.

Talk to us about the future of Renault Sport F1, with four teams in 2012 : Red Bull Racing, LRGP, Team Lotus and Williams…

Over 25% of the teams on the grid will be powered by a Renault engine. I think we’ll get more in the future as this shows our technology is very attractive. Teams win with our engines, and our engines are reliable: these are two very attractive points. It puts a lot of pressure on our engine teams to continue to be the best in terms of performance, but I am very confident: Renault could become – in some ways – the go-to for engine suppliers in F1.

What is the benefit of F1 to Renault ?

First of all it gives us an understanding and expertise of technology, and an understanding of reliability and quality. But above and beyond the technology, F1 is a means to promote the brand. And to promote it in emerging markets. Red Bull Renault is very visible in Russia, which helps us; Red Bull Renault is very visible in India, which helps us; Red Bull Renault is very visible in Brazil, which helps us. Therefore every time that Renault is shown as having ‘high level technology’ and ‘reliable technology’ in conjunction with teams that win, it’s very positive for the brand. Ultimately the improvement of the brand’s image is extremely important to be able to launch commercial offensives in these emerging markets, which we are doing at present.

And India is one of those essential emerging markets…

I firmly believe in India’s development. It’s not a recent thing, we decided to relaunch our strategy in India and to invest there several years ago. As you know, Renault has already launched four cars in India, all of which are built locally. We have built a factory plant in co-operation with Nissan in Chennai that has a capacity to produce 200,000 cars at the moment, but there is the potential to produce many more than this. India is, in terms of development potential for Renault, one of the top two or three of the most important markets. Our programme there is a very important part of the future of the company.

Let’s go back to F1. It’s not Renault’s role to bring French drivers into F1, but right now there are four hopefuls knocking on the door of F1 (Jules Bianchi, Romain Grosjean, Charles Pic, Jean-Eric Vergne). What are your thoughts?

I am delighted that there are four drivers coming up the ladder this year. Everything we can do to encourage them and help them will be done. We shouldn’t forget that we are first and foremost a French company and our biggest market is in France. Therefore we have an interest in having good French drivers in teams equipped with a Renault engine.