V10 will soon be forgotten - Montagny
The Renault F1 Team has spent the week working and testing at Barcelona to adapt to the demands of the new 2006 regulations. Franck Montagny, test driver at Renault till the end of the season, gave us his first impressions.
Interview with Franck Montagny
Franck, what are your first impressions of the power levels you tested with this week in preparation for the change in engine regulations in 2006?
"Having been used to the power of the V10 and its aggressiveness at certain points in the rev range, the power reduction can seem a little bit disappointing, it’s true. We will lose around 20% of the engine power, but it is mainly the way we use the engine that is different. It seems more consistent, as we have lost some of the excess power that you sometimes felt at high revs with the V10."
Does the reduction in power have consequences for the car’s handling?
"The engine is a central parameter in the chassis set-up. So any change has an impact, and that is what we have been working on this week. This year, with the V10, we were very much focused on the behaviour and wear at the rear of the car, because the high engine power meant that the rear tyres were working very hard in the high speed corners. Now though, with the restricted engine, we have seen that the rear is now less critical, and that we are concentrating more on the front end of the car to balance the car."
Is it still just as enjoyable to drive the car, even with this level of power?
"I think so, in spite of the reduced power, and we are only at the beginning of our work. At the start of 2005, when the new aero regulations were introduced, the drivers were all generally a bit disappointed because the cars were more sensitive and harder to drive, but as we brought out new developments through the year, we managed to develop a very quick car – and a quick car is always fun to drive. The V10 will soon be forgotten, and the new regulations will certainly shuffle the pack a bit in terms of performance. What we need to do now is understand the demands of this new challenge faster, and better, than our rivals!"
