Renault F1 2019: “Start is Far from Ideal” Says Cyril Abiteboul

Where the 2019 Constructor’s standings are concerned then it doesn’t help to be a Renault fan. Renault are currently placed Seventh. Ironically, they’re on this position whilst being behind a team whose key driver has a car that states the very numeric: 7 (Kimi Raikkonen– Alfa Romeo).

Thus far, the only teams that are behind Renault in the run-up toward the (battles for) front pack of the grid include- Toro Rosso, Racing Point, and Williams.

The fight that should’ve ideally been for occupying the middle of the grid or at least finishing right outside the top-three seems more like a figment of one’s imagination. What theory are you going to establish otherwise for Cyril Abiteboul‘s Renault F1 team?

In fact, to explain Renault‘s line of disappointments (rather predicaments) wouldn’t be the most exciting or easiest thing in the world to do in all probability.

How on earth is one supposed to find a new reason to wear the bright golden yellows again.

But first up, it didn’t help to note that either of their drivers wasn’t able to finish the race at Sakhir.

One DNF is hard to deal with- right?

At Sakhir’s there were two DNFs. Moreover, here’s what can’t be denied about a team that’s still fortunately in the early stages of the competition and not at the fag end of a long run in 2019:

Both Nico Hulkenberg (the more experienced of the two drivers at Renault) and his teammate, Ricciardo have failed to make it to Q3, which alone points to the disappointment.

Now, imagine the plight of the paraphernalia that might have placed all its bets (safe as houses being an old albeit) on the Renault F1 team? While it’s one thing to fail or make a mess out of races, there’s something quite other to lift the morale of a team that’s waiting to exhale.

For now, only Hulkenberg has done the scoring for the Renault team. Meanwhile, the usually impressive, Daniel Ricciardo is still waiting to open his account.

One finds chinks in Renault’s 2019 armor upon understanding the team’s main man- Cyril Abiteboul- too, experienced concerns of his own with his side.

So what’ exactly happened?

It’s one thing to be criticized by fans. Well, it happens all the time- does it not? It can be dealt with and isn’t that serious a blow, truth be told. But that told, it’s something quite another when your own team boss suggests that, “Renault has fallen short of expectations.”

That said, Australian driver Ricciardo, yet to open his account thanks to two disappointing races contested thus far views the situation with a bit more optimism. He recently stated that the Renault team have far more potential than exhibited thus far in the 2019 package.

Meanwhile, his team principal, Mr. Abiteboul shared the following in his assessment of the journey:

“Our overall competitiveness is good enough for our drivers to be racing in the top 10 and closer to the top teams than last year, but we have suffered from reliability issues. We move onto China with caution, but also with a resolution to really get the season going. Renault will bring a new bodywork, braking and suspension updates in its bid to pull off a “well-executed weekend” in China.”