Aerodynamicist of the year

Mild Seven Renault F1 Team Head of Aerodynamics, Dino Toso, was named ‘Aerodynamicist of the Year’ last night at a ceremony in London. The Renault F1 Team has won both Championships this season and Toso was one of the golden 2005 team.

It is something of a cliché in Formula 1, when drivers thank their team for all their hard work – often dismissed as simple PR speak, a way of sounding ‘politically correct’. Yet as anybody knows, the people who appear on TV at the races are just the tip of the iceberg – 80 people among 800 who work day and night to make Renault’s Formula 1 cars world beaters.

On of the largest groups within those 800 people is the aero department, one of the most secretive domains of any Formula 1 team, yet also the driving force behind much of its on-track performance and development during a season. This was never better demonstrated than in 2005, when a complete new aero package in Brazil, just three races from season end, gave the Renault F! Team a decisive late-season performance boost.

Recognition of that fact came last night when Dino Toso, the team’s Head of Aerodynamics, was awarded the prize of ‘Aerodynamicist of the Year’ at an awards dinner in London, hosted by Race Tech magazine. Judged by a group of leading senior Formula 1 technical personnel, the award was an insider’s recognition of Renault’s achievements on the track this year.

"It is a privilege to receive this award,” commented Dino Toso, “but our performance this year is obviously about a lot more than the work of just one person. I am lucky to work with an extremely talented group of aerodynamicists, model-makers and technicians who have all contributed to the success of our programme this year with their expertise and dedication. This is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work."

This morning, under heavy winter skies, Enstone’s wind-tunnel was humming with the busy sounds of development work as the new R26 is fine-tuned inside. Nobody is looking backwards: all eyes are focused on Bahrain 2006, and the car that will defend Renault’s double championship…