Renault Power Unit Hardware & Software

[PowerandtheGlory]

The Sky team are reporting the Renault engine as the quickest in the traps this week. Considering there is still some more to come from most team, this can only be encouraging. MGU-K issues aside i think the team may finally be closer on the ICE front. Maybe still some work on the battery to do according to hulk’s interviews with German Press.

[ReoPTy]

They weren't. Not in testing anyway, which is what is happening now. I remember a year when renault was measured at I think 348 kmh in testing, or somewhere in that region, and was at the top of speed traps. Then in the actual qualyfing in may their speed was like 316-320 and some 10+ kmh behind ferrari/merc, as usual.
There's too many variables in testing to make any meaningful conclusions. Especially top speed wise.

Renault said that they have made the biggest gain in V6 era and if I remember correctely their biggest gain previously was about 50 hp so we can guess their 2019 upgrade worth more than 50 hp which atleast puts them ahead of 18 mercedes....

Renault have claimed 50hp gains minimum at the start of every season since this era began. It's an arbitrary, nice round number marketing can pump forward for their "Spec Sheet" on the official Renault F1 website, they have no reason to be 100% truthful for that, or divulge the situation in which this figure was reached, it's all chest puffery. It has never been true and if you include the "gains" during each season that Abiteboul goes on about, the Renault would be north of 1200hp..
As far as actual horsepower goes, Renault have been the most vocal while also being the most exaggerative.

only 50hp in 2015 i think , i can't remember more since V6 hybride area ...

[Blackout]

Renault said that they have made the biggest gain in V6 era and if I remember correctely their biggest gain previously was about 50 hp so we can guess their 2019 upgrade worth more than 50 hp which atleast puts them ahead of 18 mercedes....

Renault have claimed 50hp gains minimum at the start of every season since this era began.

No. they just wrote a peak power number in the technical spec sheet of the car. They never ""claimed "we gained 50hp" every season"".

It's an arbitrary, nice round number marketing can pump forward for their "Spec Sheet" on the official Renault F1 website, they have no reason to be 100% truthful for that, or divulge the situation in which this figure was reached

Yes, that's true for the tech sheet.
And the 2018 peak power number was also "over 950"...

It has never been true and if you include the "gains" during each season that Abiteboul goes on about, the Renault would be north of 1200hp..
As far as actual horsepower goes, Renault have been the most vocal while also being the most exaggerative.

Your mixing up everything together.
And Abiteboul, this time, was one of the last persons to declare that Renault made big gains this winter. Many other people with better objectivity/neutrality/credibility talked about big gains, weeks or months before Abiteboul; Prost, Priestley, Brown, that danish driver (forgot his name sry), Italian journos etc.
And Renault very often confirm the dyno gains on the track, even RBR acknowledged that many times (one of the last times was spec C in Monza AFAIR).
The problem is that the opponents gain as much... + the reliability

[ringo]

It is possible for them to be ahead of everyone though. Mclaren seem to be very fast.

[PhillipM]

Or they're just turned up more than the others at this point, which I'm more inclined to believe. Roll on Q3

[Morteza]

https://twitter.com/autosport/status/11 ... 3518264321

[Mansell89]

It seemed a good two weeks for Renault- both the works team and McLaren completing excellent lap count, and no major reliability concerns at this stage.

Let’s hope they really have made inroads on the leading two engine manufacturers. Whilst I’m certain there is more in the locker of Merc and Ferrari, the time gaps between the field did appear smaller in testing?

[PowerandtheGlory]

The gap looked reasonable, but i dont think the team have wound up the Renault engine fully- on all the runs- bar mclaren who said they were flat out, the works team had some battery issues as well. I’m Hoping that their Q3 mode plus battery issues are resolved by Melbourne, if Redbull still have gearbox issues then we might be looking at Row 3... thst would be a good result i think, in-season development needs to step up as well.. they have def been reliable, so fingers crossed on the new engine & concept..

[dxpetrov]

The gap looked reasonable, but i dont think the team have wound up the Renault engine fully- on all the runs- bar mclaren who said they were flat out, the works team had some battery issues as well. I’m Hoping that their Q3 mode plus battery issues are resolved by Melbourne, if Redbull still have gearbox issues then we might be looking at Row 3... thst would be a good result i think, in-season development needs to step up as well.. they have def been reliable, so fingers crossed on the new engine & concept..

Those GB issues were related to the crashes Gasly had on two occasions . Don't hold your breath for it...

[PowerandtheGlory]

Agreed Petrov, although Motorsport.com are just reporting Honda have to re-design elements of the engine which are too aggressive.....?? Nobody doubts that RB have a strong chassis and aero and if the Honda Engine's evolution of last year's power-plant (very much tried and tested by the Redbull test team aka TR) is solid then they will be there this year. Here's hoping that by taking a new concept the Renault engine can at least be a match for the other engines.. Id be happy to see the Mclaren mixing it as well.. I think Merc will struggle with the new Pirelli tyres which Ferrari seem to have worked out already.. Like i said 'if' Renault get on row 3 (even if its one car- because Gasly will bin it at some point) then its a decent result.

[carisi2k]

The gap looked reasonable, but i dont think the team have wound up the Renault engine fully- on all the runs- bar mclaren who said they were flat out, the works team had some battery issues as well. I’m Hoping that their Q3 mode plus battery issues are resolved by Melbourne, if Redbull still have gearbox issues then we might be looking at Row 3... thst would be a good result i think, in-season development needs to step up as well.. they have def been reliable, so fingers crossed on the new engine & concept..

red bull don't have gearbox issues but why are you bring that up on this thread. This Renault power unit looks much more promising then previous years. It looks like without the need to worry about RB that they have been free to take a different route. If the car was half decent then they would be pushing for the number 3 spot but unfortunately it doesn't look like a good enough chassis to be doing that and so the honey badgers performance relies solely on the competitive nature of this new Renault PU.

[PowerandtheGlory]

The gap looked reasonable, but i dont think the team have wound up the Renault engine fully- on all the runs- bar mclaren who said they were flat out, the works team had some battery issues as well. I’m Hoping that their Q3 mode plus battery issues are resolved by Melbourne, if Redbull still have gearbox issues then we might be looking at Row 3... thst would be a good result i think, in-season development needs to step up as well.. they have def been reliable, so fingers crossed on the new engine & concept..

red bull don't have gearbox issues but why are you bring that up on this thread. This Renault power unit looks much more promising then previous years. It looks like without the need to worry about RB that they have been free to take a different route. If the car was half decent then they would be pushing for the number 3 spot but unfortunately it doesn't look like a good enough chassis to be doing that and so the honey badgers performance relies solely on the competitive nature of this new Renault PU.

The reference was more just to establish pecking order relative to RB. ( I still suspect RB have some gearbox issues, call it a hunch..) but both teams had an ok test. Renault on the long runs didnt look too bad, lets hope they can dial in some speed over the one lap- which is so crucial to qualification, in turn track position and race result. I’m looking forward to the season, just hope they can match up to the other PU’s. Honey badger in full attack mode.

[carisi2k]

Yeah well don't suspect. That is what happens when you have 2 accidents that wreck the rear end and don't have enough parts to continue. The Reliability was good overall for these PU's and hopefully Renault have a little more to come or else this could be a difficult year. Daniel and Nick should be good to get them fourth place and watch out for Daniel at Monaco.

[Juzh]

I still suspect RB have some gearbox issues, call it a hunch

Blind speculation. Even if true (in some unreal scenario), do you expect them to have those problems all year? Remember alonso's "now we can fight" in melburne last year and how it all turned out in the end? Renault should focus on their own pace first and only then worry about RB's ocasional gearbox problems.

[PowerandtheGlory]

I still suspect RB have some gearbox issues, call it a hunch

Blind speculation. Even if true (in some unreal scenario), do you expect them to have those problems all year? Remember alonso's "now we can fight" in melburne last year and how it all turned out in the end? Renault should focus on their own pace first and only then worry about RB's ocasional gearbox problems.

Maybe im not hating on RB guys... but ive been watching F1 long enough to know the RB-honda relationship is a serious PR campaign right now.. with almost a new quote everyday from somebody at RB saying something glowing about the Honda. Its almost cheesey.. (i know lots of teams are saying similar) we all want them to do well because Honda are good for F1.. but they paper-over anything at the minute, possible vibration rumors in higher engine modes, broken gearboxes, honda re-designs to the engine for cooling.. (as reported) horner has a rapier tongue when things go wrong- lets hope they dont for honda. Renault wise- if the power figures are true as the team and drivers say they are happy lets hope Ricc and hulk do well. If Honda dont need to swop loads of components like they did last year for TR im looking forward to seeing them race... which is want we all want?? The RB vs Renault storyline this year im looking forward to.. RB will be fast, no question. Hopeful for Renault too..