The Renault Formula 1 team will introduce an all-new powertrain for the 2019 season as it attempts to move up the grid and produce a race-winning car.
Speaking with Motorsport, Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul said that the French automaker has decided to adopt an all-new engine due to limitations with the current architecture.
“It is a new engine. One of the reasons for it, and why the Spec-C is not delivering more in terms of performance, is because we are not held back by the structural limitations of the [current] engine,” Abiteboul said.
“Given the ambition in terms of power improvement for next year, pretty much all of the engine will be new. Not only on ERS side, because there is little power and little performance to extract there, but the rest of the ICE will be new.”
As a manufacturer team, Renault had hoped to return some seriously impressive results this year. While it is showing signs of improvement, it remains locked in a fight with Haas Ferrari for fourth in the constructors standings. It also happens to be more than 220 points behind third-placed constructor Red Bull Racing, an outfit which itself is struggling with race victories against Mercedes and Ferrari.
According to Abiteboul, all other teams in the sport continue to develop new V6 turbo hybrid engines, so Renault must follow suit.
Next year should be a big year for the team following its signing of current Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian has openly expressed his desire to lead Renault up the grid and into a race- and championship-winning outfit. It goes without saying that an all-new powertrain could help him do it – but it also depends on a. the 2019 chassis’ performance, and b. how good the new car will be compares to its rivals, who will also launch new designs.