Renault top-boss: We are here to stay
Genii Capital bought Renault, the factory team, last year, but the engine supplier will still be very much a part of Formula One. This season Renault is supplying their own team, or should we say the team that bears its name, as well as Red Bull and Team Lotus. Next year Williams will be added to the roster of teams with an engine from Renault.
Tavares was appointed COO back on May 30 this year, but his first official day at the office, was a fortnight ago, just six days prior to the British Grand Prix. The 52 year-old, who is heading Nissan´s American division, says Renault is an integral and important part of Formula One and will continue to develop their engines in line with the greener approach laid down by the FIA, a move which was strongly backed by Renault. A new engine formula will be implemented from 2014, from the current 2.4 liter V8 engines to 1.6 liter V6 turbo engines.
“I only waited six days from when I started this job before coming to a race as I believe there is a great passion for cars and motorsport within the Renault Group," said Tavares. “It is also my way of showing that we need to harness this passion within the group so that every Renault partner and employee can benefit from our involvement, which will in turn be for the benefit of our clients."
“It’s crucial and we are very careful to nurture the talent we have at Viry-Chatillon," said Tavares. “This shows in the work we do, and I know we have a lot of engineers that strive to improve their knowledge and understanding in the field.
“We have also taken care to establish a dialogue and interaction between the F1 operation and the rest of the company so that the expertise and the technologies are transferred to the road cars."
In fact, Renault said they would leave the sport if the engines were not to become four cylinder engines, but a compromise was reached and it only showed how much emphasis the company is putting on F1.
“This was one of the conditions explained to our teams for us to be in F1, and it still applies," he said. “Renault has always had an ability to innovate. We want our innovation to be useful to our clients and to the general health of the planet.
“Therefore this ‘downsizing’ we’ve put all our support behind is perfectly aligned. There needs to be a convergence between the technologies seen in F1 and the wishes of our clients and the societies we operate in.
“I’m sure that the decision just taken won’t be the final step but we are very happy that we have managed to find a common consensus." FormulaOneUpdate.Wordpress