Renault F1 R.S. 20 Speculation Thread

[testing]

Bwoah, they did find quite a lot of extra downforce last year. Unfortunately more on the rear than on the front of the car, and the updates didn't really fix this difference...

I expect some significant changes on the leading edge of the floor and the area underneath the nose to improve balance.

I suppose completely redesigning the bargeboards to slightly reduce drag is a waste of time, especially since they are banned in 2021.

[NathanOlder]

nearly time

[void]

Nice car launch with no car!

[TimmTurbo]

The actual Team launch will be at 5pm CET. But they said it will be just sneak peek renders instead of a real car like Ferrari and RB

[Holm86]

Renault's 2019 results are very logical and well deserved. Enstone was extremely conservative and lazy last year during the winter and during the season.
They took the exact same decision/gamble as Mclaren in 2017. They knew in 2018 that their next PU was going to be a big improvement and they kept the same chassis/concept for the chassis.
But why did Renault follow that route? to spare resources for the future? probably. But their 2019 car probably looked way faster in the wind tunnel and the minor updates they brought probably worked well at the factory. So they probably had correlation issues... Hopefully the latter are "sorted" and better understood* now thanks to the factory new updates and reorganization.
*I dont think they'll completely disappear and that the understanding will be 100%. For that you need the resources that the big three teams have...

Some of the most conservative parts in 2019:
-The FW endplates
-the nose
The "cape", it was very basic/simple and barely evolved in 2019.
-the under-nose turning vanes. Enstone do not change them alot between the seasons and they evolve even less during the seasons
-the raised top front wishbones: Renault adopted them in 2019 bet they decided to keep the same steering arms, unlike most of the other teams who move them to put them inline with one of the wishbones.
-no boomerangs on the BBs. The Renault is the only boomerangs less car
-the sidepods: they are fake ans superficial copies of the "Ferrari style" raised sidepods.
etc
Will Ensone be more agressive in 2020 with a different technical director as Chester? Obviously aggressiveness do not equate success. Effectiveness is key...
https://i.imgur.com/5VYqDri.jpg

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opin ... n-get-song

Hughes, here, overestimates the importance of the french gp updates. The sidepods were not "completely redesigned" and the thinner bodywork he's talking about has not been raced. (and he should take a look on the updates that other teams including Alfa and RP regularly brought...)
He's wrong regarding the gains too. The gains were big in some tracks (like in Silverstone) and very small in others. But yes those updates could not change the characteristics of the car...

The old yellow looked SO much better

[haza]

[AMG.Tzan]

So slimmer nose for the Renault also it seems!! Interesting...

[haza]

I’m guessing a Mercedes/McLaren hybrid nose

[NathanOlder]

So is that all black ?

[Holm86]

So is that all black ?

Might be at test livery?

[PlatinumZealot]

The external appearance of the cars have all converged as expected. The excitement is gone!

[Xero]

Definitely looks like a McLaren inspired nose, eager to see the rest of it. The black livery will be for testing, can't see them ditching yellow?

[PowerandtheGlory]

Yea its definitely a testing livery... looks like an early sauber from back in the day... the Yellow will surely return (hopefully with white)

[Sevach]

Definitely looks like a McLaren inspired nose, eager to see the rest of it. The black livery will be for testing, can't see them ditching yellow?

Mercedes also has an indent in that position so i wouldn't be so sure from where they are grabbing inspiration at this time.
Unless there's a better photo i'm missing....

[Ground Effect]

Excerpt from AS:

Beside him, his counterpart, Remi Taffin, the highest engine authority. No major improvements are expected in this section, except now that a decrease in income is coming (within three years they have gone from supplying Red Bull and McLaren to be left alone). It will be enough if they consolidate reliability (they were the worst manufacturer in the first third of last year) without losing horses and without giving in to Honda, a real threat in the struggles of the middle class.