JordanMugen wrote: ↑01 Mar 2024, 21:25
But didn't Renault buy Enstone again in 2016? Why nearly 10 years to upgrade facilities?
Especially when before the budget cap, Renault could have spent an unlimited budget on upgrading facilities.
I thought Renault had targeted their all-new 2022 power unit, budget cap and 2022 regulations as their opportunity to win championships?
Now we hear that 2026 regulations and power unit are the target instead?!
That's quite some delays for a project started in 2016.
https://racingnews365.com/ex-alpine-eng ... -to-rivals
“I look back at the first three years I was there, and we improved Enstone, dramatically, year-on-year, we built a better car," Fry explained in Abu Dhabi, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“If you put the three cars next to each other, each one was a massive step. It’s a credit for everyone there, the various teams were collaborating a huge amount better.
I think everyone there should be proud of what we achieved over those three years.
“I guess I’d gone back there to go back to the place
started [my] career and try and rebuild it. I think we did really well. From a distant fifth, we were a solid fourth.
“But I didn’t feel there was the enthusiasm or the drive to move forward beyond fourth.
“I decided at the start of March that I want to be pushing things forward, I don’t just want to sit there and not be able to do things. So for me, that was time to stop and move on.
“It’s one of those things, I think as a company, they weren’t almost set up to push hard enough, you can say you want to be first.
“But the difference between saying it and achieving it, is monumental, as we all know.”
Fry's departure coincided with that of Szafnauer - who was more cautious than top management over the timeline for success, with Szafnauer realising it would take considerably longer than management demanded.
“I’m not so sure that Otmar got a fair chance at fixing the place, because to some degree I think metaphorically, your hands are tied, I guess," Fry explained.
“But as I say, I think everyone there should be proud of what we achieved in those first three years.
“It’s always a shame walking away from things. But I think for me, I’d taken them as far as I could. And it was time for me to put my feet up and sit in my garden.”