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Renault see home race as chance to demonstrate improvement in competitiveness

Renault see home race as chance to "demonstrate improvement in competitiveness"

17-06-2019 14:01
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul sees the team's upcoming home Grand Prix as an opportunity "to demonstrate further improvement in competitiveness", as both Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo finished well within the points last time out in Canada.

It's not been the start of the season Renault would have wanted, with mechanical DNF's and underwhelming performance being a part of the opening seven races. In recent Grands Prix, however, it's been going better, with Ricciardo first finishing ninth in Monaco and then adding a P6 in Montréal. Hülkenberg, who was in a tough run of form, added a P7 to Renault's impressive Canada outing, in which they kept the Red Bull of Pierre Gasly behind them.

Coming up to the European tour now, in which there will be five races in seven weeks, Abiteboul is confident the team can kick on and impress their home crowd.

"We enter the French Grand Prix on the back of a strong team result in Canada," the Frenchman said.

"We demonstrated our ability to recover from a disappointing start to the season in a controlled and professional manner. The result [in Canada], and the manner in which we achieved it, should give us the confidence and motivation to push on through a demanding period of races with five Grands Prix before the summer break."

Analysing France specifically, Abiteboul expects another good showing from his works team, keeping the momentum going.

"France is clearly an important milestone. Not only is it our home Grand Prix at Le Castellet, but also the opportunity to demonstrate a further improvement in our competitiveness.

"While Canada, a power sensitive circuit, underlined the gains made in engine performance, France will see the introduction of several development items on the chassis.

"One thing is clear: we cannot dwell on Montréal and to aim for a repeat of that result and keep striving to reduce the gap to the front."

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