Renault launches its 2019 F1 livery

Renault is the latest F1 team to have a lame launch – revealing it's 2019 livery on last year's car

Renault Sport F1 launched its 2019 F1 world championship car livery today, introducing the team that it hopes will bring it closer to Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

The launch of the 2019 Formula 1 livery took place at Renault's base in Enstone, England. Nico Hulkenberg and Cyril Abiteboul were joined by new signing Daniel Ricciardo on the presentation podium.

Renault F1 Team today detailed its plans to maintain its momentum in the FIA Formula One World Championship. Renault returned as a works team in 2016 and has made strong progress each season, finishing last year’s campaign in fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship. Renault F1 Team’s star driver line-up of Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo was also presented to attending media and partners, underscoring Renault’s commitment to long-term success.

Jerome Stoll, President of Renault Sport Racing, also confirmed Renault’s ongoing commitment to the sport. “At Renault, we are passionate about motorsport. Our history in F1 has continued unbroken for more than 40 years. Formula 1 is a show, a spectacle, pure entertainment, but it is also the highest level in motorsport. A passion for Formula 1 is a metaphor for fighting spirit, determination, resilience but also progress thanks to the limitless innovation that inspires the sport. But this passion has to be tempered with a healthy dose of reality. F1 makes sense for Renault; it is a laboratory for our future road going technology – as seen by the new engine designation – Renault E-Tech 19. It is a very exciting time to be part of F1."

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]Since its F1 comeback three years ago, Renault has invested heavily across its technical facilities in Enstone, UK, and Viry-Chattilon, France. At Enstone, the team has significantly increased production capabilities, with upgraded machine tools, including two new Breton machines, wind tunnel, gearbox dyno, enlarged design office and state-of-the-art race operations room. Its workforce has also grown by around 50% since 2016. At Viry, a newly refurbished dyno has just been commissioned and will be used throughout the season to develop the power unit, while an ambitious building program to house new engine assembly bays, reliability departments and an automated stores department has recently started, due for completion next year.

With a solid foundation of technical and human resources in place, Renault F1 Team managing director, Cyril Abiteboul, outlined the team’s aim to keep this momentum going into 2019: “Launching all these projects while participating in the championship was an incredible challenge, as was getting the major points finished. The final commissioning of the investments was a tremendous achievement and I’m impressed by how everyone has taken to the task. This shows in the momentum we have gathered: ninth in 2016 with eight points, sixth in 2017 with 57 points and fourth last year with 122 points. We go into this season aiming to keep this strong and measured momentum. We do not target x or y position or a number of points: what I want to see is that the team continues its trajectory of progression towards the top teams. Engine excellency will be our priority in Viry while the structure now in place in Enstone strives to improve the competitiveness of the chassis, season after season."

Abiteboul also explained the extra motivational factor of the new driver line-up. “The added momentum of the Daniel-Nico partnership brings confidence to the team this season. I believe we have one of the strongest – if not the strongest – driver line-up on the grid. Daniel brings proven race winning experience and knowledge of a top team, while Nico is hungry. He’s hugely underrated – he’s quick, determined and a team motivator. Individually they are very strong and I feel the two will complement each other extremely perfectly. The energy they have brought to the team is very tangible and I hope we can give them a car to show their considerable talent."

Nico Hülkenberg embarks on his third year of competition with the team in 2019. “As a team, we’ve developed a lot since the start of 2017 and that’s all part of the process if we want to achieve our long-term targets. When I arrived, the infrastructure was still young, we’ve come a long way since then with a lot of progress. I want to extract the best from myself and maximize the potential from the team and the car. The important thing is, as a team, we take a good leap forward and perform better consistently. We want the trend to continue upwards and keep the developments coming."

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, a seven-time Grand Prix winner, joins Renault F1 Team for his first season in yellow. “Renault has a massive history in motorsport, so to be part of the next step of their Formula 1 journey is an exciting challenge. I’m here to do a job on track and drive as fast as possible, but I would like to bring the team energy. I want to put a spring in everyone’s step because that’s part of my job and also my character. I aim to be able to get the team to work that extra bit harder, put in more effort and rally everyone together. I’d like to be a catalyst for positive energy."

Ricciardo aims for 2019 to be a fresh start: “Everything I learnt in 2018 will make me a better version of myself in 2019. The difference will be a more mature person. I have more clarity of where I’m going and I aim for that to be shown with good results on track. I feel a lot of positive pressure and expectation to do good things, but that’s something I’m looking forward to taking on."

With new facilities and new drivers bolstering confidence, 2019 promises to be an interesting year on and off track.

Quotes

Cyril Abiteboul: "When you walk around Enstone you feel the passion and dedication to racing.

"The first phase of the plan was regeneration- you will see pretty much every single area of the factory has been improved if not completely transformed, from wind tunnel instrumentation, manufacturing, milling machines, clean room, race bays, every single area improved in order to compete on the same level as the best."

Daniel Ricciardo: “Bonjour! Je m’appelle Daniel! I just wanted to learn French, that’s why I’m doing this"

Engine chief Remi Taffin: "These regulations are extremely complex. We know them and understand them and had time to put in place a structure."

"We have the structure and we have the people now. Eventually, we can see the result of it. We have worked hard on the ERS and worked a lot on the ICE [internal combustion engine]. In 2018 we have been introducing some new concepts that proved to be successful and we have taken some of them further down the road and into 2019.

"The result is the best winter we have ever had."

How have you spent the winter preparing for your ninth season in Formula 1?
Nico Hulkenberg: I've been working as hard as ever throughout the winter to be best prepared for the season. I've been doing the usual kind of things, taking a holiday over Christmas and New Year, and after that it was back to the physical preparation and intense training to get the body and mind back in tune.

What are you expecting from your third season with Renault F1 Team?
NH: As a team, we've developed a lot since the start of 2017 and that's all part of the process if we want to achieve our long-term targets. When I arrived, the infrastructure was still young, we've come a long way since then with a lot of progress from that point.

Are you impressed from what you've seen of the Renault R.S.19?
NH: I've seen parts of the chassis at Enstone and there's been a lot of hard work from the staff across both sides of the Channel to put together a good package. I know what we're doing and what's been changed, so I can't wait to see it and try it out. A driver always wants more power, more grip and a better balance from the car.

How well do you know your new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo?
NH: Daniel is a good guy and I've known him for many years from racing in Formula 1. He also lives in Monaco so I see him from time to time there. We both enjoy playing tennis and we've met up for a game on a couple of occasions. We get on well and we've always had a good relationship. We're a strong line-up, driving for a strong team so we're aiming for things to click, go smoothly and target a good season.

What are your personal targets for the 2019 Formula 1 season?
NH: I always aim to perform at my very best. I want to extract the best from myself and maximize the potential from the team and the car. The important thing is, as a team, we take a good leap forward and perform better consistently. We want the trend to continue upwards and keep the developments coming.

How excited are you to get behind the wheel of the Renault R.S.19?
Daniel Ricciardo: It's always exciting to get behind the wheel of a new race car and begin a new season. 2019 will feel different because I'm jumping into a totally new car and a new team. There will be a lot to learn; understanding a new steering wheel, sitting in a new seat with new mechanics strapping me in and a new engineer talking to me, but that whole process is an exciting prospect. Obviously, I'd love for the R.S.19 to be the fastest car on the grid, but for now, I want to see progress on the engine from last season and ensure the team remain motivated.

What, in particular, will you bring to the team?
DR: I'm here to do a job on track and drive as fast as possible. I would like to bring the team energy. I want to put a spring in everyone's step because that's also part of my job and also my character. I aim to be able to get the team to work that extra bit harder, put in more effort and rally everyone together. I want to be a catalyst for positive energy.

Are you looking forward to being part of Renault's racing spirit?
DR: I love racing and that's what I've been doing my whole life. Renault has a massive history in motorsport, so to be part of the next step of their Formula 1 journey is an exciting challenge. People are looking forward to having me on board and I think Nico and myself will be a really good pairing to push the team onto the next step. I'm optimistic as the team will keep growing even more after impressive progress since 2016. I want to be part of this progression to score podiums in yellow.

What do you know of your new team-mate, Nico Hulkenberg?
DR: I know Nico relatively well, through racing as well as living in Monaco. We're a similar age and we've been around the same Formulas growing up. I rate him as a driver, I always have. He has won pretty much everything in the junior championships and that underlines his ability. I've always held him in high regard as a competitor and I'm looking forward to having him alongside me.

Will there be anything different about you in 2019?
DR: Last year we had some highs and some happy moments. There were also some points of frustration. I was craving a change and everything I learnt in 2018 will make me a better version of myself in 2019. The difference will be a more mature person. I have more clarity of where I'm going and I aim for that to be shown with good results on track. I feel a lot of positive pressure and expectation to do good things, but that's something I'm looking forward to taking on