Abiteboul denies Renault set to quit F1

Cyril Abiteboul has denied that Renault is poised to quit Formula 1.

When McLaren announced recently that it is pushing ahead with its switch to Mercedes power for 2021 despite the delayed regulations, some interpreted that as a sign that current supplier Renault may be pulling out.

Renault struggled on track last year despite its high profile signing of Daniel Ricciardo, and the parent company has been embroiled in a high profile management scandal.

But boss Abiteboul told Autocar he isn’t sure why Renault is often singled out for speculation.

"It’s a pressure for all ten teams," said the Frenchman. "But there’s something a bit awkward about Renault. It feels to me that we have to respond to that question much more. And I wonder why.

"We have been in F1 for 42 years in some shape or form. I accept our lack of consistency, plus there have been some statements and changes of management. I get all of that.

"But the reality is we’re well established with two factories, we’re now a group of 1200 people and we’re well advanced, not only for this year but into next," Abiteboul added.

The interview pre-dates the current coronavirus crisis, with Abiteboul observing that the car manufacturing industry as a whole was already "shaking".

"But are we really struggling more than Daimler?" he asked. "I’m not sure.

"It’s down to us to crystallise our potential, starting with our performance. If our performance was better, we would have to respond to fewer questions of this type."