Renault plans engine step for Canada? APRIL 17, 2018 Renault is preparing to take a step forward with its engine in the coming races. As well as its works team, the French manufacturer supplies engines to Red Bull and McLaren but is still lagging behind Mercedes and Ferrari. But Spain's AS newspaper reports that a performance step is planned for the Canadian grand prix in June, although single units might be available by Monaco. "According to informed sources, the improvement will be about 30 hp, and on a track like Canada, it would be about three tenths per lap," said the report. AS said the boost would bring Renault up to about 950 hp, while Mercedes and Ferrari are now nudging 1000. Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul said: "If we follow our plan, it will be a while until the second power unit arrives but there will be an evolution of the ICE and also the fuel." AS also said Honda is planning an upgrade, with the Toro Rosso drivers to get a 40 hp boost in either Canada or France in June. The report read: "According to rumours, Red Bull have told Honda that the condition of using their power unit next season is that it is equal to the Renault."
Renault F1 seems to be quietly getting the job done. I would love to see Hulkenberg fighting for podium finishes.
With HULK qualifying 7th all the time now, he should be right there to pick up a podium with a few retirements ahead, but it's still going to be tough. Maybe at the end of the year if the 3 teams ahead get into more grid penalties for exceeding three components here and there.
As usual, the announcement of "closing the gap" assumes that the competition is standing still. Someone should ask Mercedes and Ferrari if they intend to be caught by Renault in ICE or PU development.
Renault out of patience with Red Bull delays JUNE 14, 2018 With uncertainty looming over Red Bull's next move, Renault looks to have kept up with Honda's rate of progress. Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko said after Montreal that Honda, Toro Rosso's engine partner, stepped forward to the tune of "three tenths" in Canada. But Renault, willing to remain Red Bull's engine supplier beyond 2018, says it also improved. "The improvement since Melbourne has been three tenths, including 1 tenth thanks to new fuel introduced in Barcelona," Remi Taffin told France's Auto Hebdo. "It is the equivalent of about 20hp, which is in line with our expectations. We are already working on the next evolution, which will take place after the summer factory shutdown," he added. Renault, though, is refusing to wait for Red Bull's now long-delayed decision. Red Bull says it wants to wait until Austria before making an announcement, but Cyril Abiteboul says that's too late. "We have extended the deadline due to the 12 years of good cooperation that we have had," he is quoted by Marca. "In Montreal they saw our new specification and that of Honda -- they have all the information. I see absolutely no reason to delay this further," Renault boss Abiteboul added. "In Austria, our offer is not going to be there anymore and they'll have to talk to Honda. Our offer has to be accepted in the next few days," he warned. Taffin, Renault's engine technical boss, said the tension between the French marque and Red Bull is understandable. "You have to be pragmatic," he said. "It's been 12 years that we work together, winning a lot of races and world championships. "We always talk about someone who said something, but we must not forget the 600 people in Milton Keynes and the 400 in Viry-Chattilon. They all get on well, so we have to put that at the centre of the game," Taffin added.
Business Ghosn Arrested After Probe Over Financial Violations Nissan says it will seek a removal of the industry icon, over alleged misconduct. I wonder how this will impact F1 team for the longer term................. Nissan said its Chairman Carlos Ghosn is under investigation after he allegedly violated Japanese financial law. The auto giant said in a statement Monday that "over many years" Ghosn and board director, Greg Kelly, had been under-reporting compensation amounts to the Tokyo Stock Exchange securities report. Nissan added that, in regards to Ghosn, "numerous other significant acts of misconduct have been uncovered, such as personal use of company assets." Nissan said its Chief Executive Officer Hiroto Saikawa will now propose to the Nissan Board of Directors to remove both Ghosn and Kelly from their roles. The Japanese auto firm added it been providing information to the Japanese Public Prosecutor's Office. One Japanese media outlet, Yomiuri, reported Monday that Ghosn had been been arrested, but CNBC wasn't able to independently verify that report.
No its not given recent published results. A new leadership may want zero with F1 and the cost. Formula-E is where all the cool Corporations are going lol
Ghosn was very lukewarm about F1 and had to be convinced to invest more for 2019. Motor racing has to make commercial sense, he once said, adding that he wasn't a fan. So with his departure, the F1 team fortune could go one way, or the other. Ghosn former deputy at Renault, Carlos Tavares, now Peugeot CEO is a motor racing enthusiast and was behind the return of Alpine. Since the French state is an influencial shareholder at Renault, I am rather pessimistic. Maybe Nissan could take over from partner Renault, who knows?
My understanding was that he was much more interested in Nissan and Mitsubishi than Renault. Aside from sticking the Infinity logo on Renault's F1 cars there was no real connection to Japan, which would explain Ghosn's not carrying much.
The French newspaper LE FIGARO announced on its website a 9% drop in value in Renault shares at the Stock Exchange this morning. It went momentarily as high as a 15% loss. Not too encouraging for the F1 team.
It's Ghosn and Renault that rescued Nissan years ago, taking 45% of the stock at the time. Ghosn was already Renault CEO, but liked Nissan because it traded in the States, unlike Renault. The 3 companies are very much interlinked now, with Renault owning a high percentage of shares in Nissan and Mitsubishi, whilst Nissan also own shares in Renault and Mitsubishi. Nissan builds cars in Renault factories in Europe, and several models from both brands share the same platforms and powertrain. On some markets, Nissan 4X4s are sold as Renault. The group also owns Samsung in Korea, sold in Europe as Renault. I think it would be very difficult to untangle them now.
But he gave up his position at Nissan to be head of Mitsubishi. Aside from some financial problem at Renault due to this, I don't see any changes to the F1 team. The French want it, not the Japanese. Ghosn was not a big supporter, if at all.
I was not aware of that. As far as I know, Ghosn was the CEO in the 3 companies. Mitsubishi is very much the junior Partner in this trio; it joined only recently.
A good part of the team budge LOL - Arrested Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn Under-Reported Nearly $90 Million in Compensation: Report
The company feels him guilty. He can rot in jail. No loss and I hope he suffers. No loss about him being removed from his life.
