Renault intends to take full advantage of the opportunity offered by the new regulations which will be introduced for the 2021 F1 season.

The manufacturer returned to Formula 1 four years ago when it took over the former Lotus team. Since then it has invested in upgrading their infrastructure and hiring new staff.

The team sees 2021, when the technical regulations will be overhauled and a budget cap introduced, as a major opportunity. However like its rivals it will face the challenge of developing its 2020 car while also preparing for next season.

“Finding the balance between the 2020 and 2021 car projects will be a huge challenge, of a scale that is probably unprecedented in Formula 1,” said the team’s executive director Marcin Budkowski. “You always try to start new cars as early as possible but it’s even more valuable when you have a big change in regulations, and the 2021 regulations are nothing short of a revolution.

“Of course, our ambition is to have a good 2020 season, but we are aiming to transition to 2021 as early as possible as we expect the slope of development for the new car to be very steep.”

The team has hired former McLaren engineer Pat Fry as its new technical director for chassis. Budkowski said Fry’s arrival will be especially beneficial for their 2021 plans.

“Pat joins us with a wealth of experience in engineering from a number of top teams. His background is wide-ranging, from trackside race engineering to overseeing car designs and managing technical teams. From a personality point of view, he also has a lot of drive and a very strong ability to focus on the things that really mater to make a car go quicker.

“His expertise will be of strategic use in the development of the 2021 car as well as for the RS20. The latter’s principal characteristics were already determined a few months ago and it is more of an evolution of the RS19. As such, its potential progress is limited, but it is an informed decision based on the resources we have at our disposal and our mid-term ambitions.”

Renault ‘season opener’ event

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2020 F1 season