Abiteboul about silly season: "The real season hasn't even started yet"

Next season should have been the year for Renault in which they made the step towards the top 3 teams. Unfortunately, because of the coronavirus, the team still has to wait until the official start of the season. After this season a lot of contracts will expire, which leads to many rumours about new contracts and drivers changing teams. Cyril Abiteboul, team boss of the French team, finds it remarkable that 'silly season' has already started.

"The rumors of contracts are already going on, while the season hasn't even started yet. That's the first time I ever think". Abiteboul indicates at Sky Sports that he finds it remarkable that there are rumours about the drivers so early on. With Esteban Ocon he has a driver who will be with his team until 2021. However, Daniel Ricciardo has a contract until the end of this season and could therefore look at possible options for 2021 and beyond.

"We love Daniel. He took part in a project which was clearly far from finished from the first day, as far as the team itself is concerned, but also on Daniel's side". Normally contract negotiations would start halfway through the season, but because of all the cancelled and postponed races due to the corona virus the contract negotiations have to start before the season has started.

"The circumstances are very strange, because the season hasn't even started yet. We are only halfway with the goal we had in mind, and we have to start thinking about the future now". So according to Abiteboul it could be that the first contracts for 2021 have already been signed before the start of the 2020 season.