Articoli

RENAULT

Big celebration at the Renault presentation who is entering F1 making a F1 car in full since 1984. No proclamation of big results for this year but definitely confirmed the willing of becoming total heroes in around a couple of years. On the other hand already last year improvement has been good despite a very difficult start.

Renault has got everything to succeed; the technical staff is excellent, resources have not limit, strength and experience in the French team are fantastic. But rivals are truly big in F1 and have similar resources. Nevertheless, without making a fuss, one can feel true determination and the belief that they chose a new and difficult way but that will give results; the team calmness shows the knowledge that much work is still to be done but even the certainty of success.

The new and first Renault of the year was presented on Sunday 27 of January and has got absolutely nothing new in the construction or technical choice department. In fact at first glance the R202 does not show any particular differences to the Benetton B201 from which is directly coming from. But if one look more closely one can see various changes that, as designer Mike Gascoine said, even though those changes are not that noticeable, they touch the car in every sector elaborating the old one seater concept and aerodynamically making it better. In particular the nose is lower, the inferior central fins for the front suspension connection have been reduced and the deflectors behind the front wheels have been enlarged. The sides have bigger air vent and the rear zone has been re-touched at the outlet to optimise thermal discharge which in few occasions of the past was not enough.

Naturally if one says Renault one would immediately think at the new engine with the V of 111º. The technical staff have been working a lot on this new engine since last year and succeeding in resolving some vital points. At the presentation it has been said that development will constantly be carried on throughout the season to get as close as possible to the top teams. There still is a lot to do and good performances should come around 2003.

Surely something already at the top is the electronic side which last year was definitely the best of the assisted system start.

Technical data