Setting our sights much higher in 2008 - Chevrier

The ING Renault F1 Team today officially launched its 2008 season as it revealed the brand new Renault F1 R28 and its driver line-up at Renault’s communications headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt. Denis Chevrier talks about the new 2008 contender.

"We need to fully understand and master the new electronics system, as well as the associated software tools our engineers will be using this year. Our focus has been on finding a stable baseline for the engine management, on top of which we can make circuit-specific adjustments during the season. Under the engine homologation rules, the engine has not undergone any kind of redesign; we were therefore able to concentrate our efforts on the engine management, which was most affected by the changes to the electronics, and to find the best compromise with the 2008 version of the RS27. Furthermore, the engine ancillaries will only be homologated at the start of the season, and we are currently working hard to
configure and approve them for this date."

"Our work started very early at Viry. We began using the new systems on the dyno, which allowed us to understand a number of important points about how the new SECU affects the engine management. When we began running the system at the track, our aim was to confirm those initial impressions – and to adapt to the new tools we will be using. It’s not just the drivers who have had to adapt to the SECU; it has been a big job for the engineers too. Each of them had to learn the new system, understand it thoroughly in order to get the maximum out of it, comprehend what was possible in terms of engine management strategy, and talk a lot with the drivers in order to get their impressions and make progress. It has been a busy winter for everybody, but our efforts will save us time later, and make us more effective at the race weekends."

"There have been radical changes in how we work. In the past, we were set very demanding targets from one year to the next, adapting to new regulations. That gave everybody a real challenge to get their teeth into, at the track and in the factory. Under the current rules, which plan for an engine homologation period of several years’ duration, our job will be significantly different, as the engine’s development potential has been severely restricted. But we must adapt to the new rules, and continue to ensure we operate effectively at the track, with faultless reliability."

"Once we have established an efficient, reliable engine management configuration, we will still be able to work on a range of different parameters to increase performance. For example, we can work on fuel consumption, the quality of key components and improving the harmony between engine, chassis and driver: there is always potential for improvement."

"2007 was a bad year. After two years of going to each race with a chance of winning, we didn’t manage that at any stage last season. This year, we have two ambitious drivers, one of whom is a double world champion who we already know very well. The team has been hard at work for a number of months to give Fernando and Nelson a more competitive car for the new season. I think it is realistic to say we are setting our sights much higher in 2008."