The Buddh International Circuit seen by Renault F1

The Buddh International Circuit is one of the more interesting circuits on the calendar for engine engineers as there are many separate challenges over the course of one lap. There are long periods of wide open throttle, such as the long back straight, which require good top end power, but equally there are some tricky complexes such as turn 1 and the final sector. Additionally we encounter several long, radial turns where delivering sustained torque in the medium rev range is required. Balancing out the need for high top end power with the requirements for good medium and low speed driveability is always a tricky balance to find.

Then there are also the external factors we need to account for too: the track surface is usually very slippery at the start of the race weekend. It can clear after one session, but then it will become recoated overnight in dust from the surrounding fields. We can help give a bit more grip by giving the driver a less aggressive torque map, which in turn gives a smoother torque curve and therefore less ‘bite’ on the exit of turns. Doing this has the favourable advantage of giving slightly lower tyre wear.

We’re really looking forward to India. We’ve had an incredible run of success in the last two races, scoring our 209th pole – a new record for an engine manufacturer in F1 – and consecutive podium lock outs for the first time since 1996. However we’re only looking at the present now and the fact there are still two titles to win and four races to go. We’ll be helping our partners as much as we can to secure the positions they want in both championships.