Renault give academy prospects opportunity in Bahrain test

Renault will test on the Bahrain circuit for four days at the end of this month. This is not allowed with the current cars, but Renault is taking advantage of this opportunity to let the talent from their own academy have a go in the cockpit of an F1 car.

Red Bull Racing once started as a team with a serious programme to guide talent to the top of motorsport, but now every Formula 1 team has a similar programme. The same goes for Renault, which has plenty of future stars racing in lower classes. However, with Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso as drivers for 2021, there is no room in the team's lineup for next season.

Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing have smaller teams at their disposal where young drivers can be tested first but this is not the case for Renault. That is why they have chosen to offer some of their drivers a test in the R.S. 18. Three drivers from the programme have been selected for the four-day test in Bahrain.

On the first day Christian Lundgaard will get into the car. The young Dane has already won two races in Formula 2. A step to Formula 1 doesn't seem to be in the pipe line, but with this test Lundgaard can show what he can do. The same goes for Oscar Piastri, who will get into the car on the second day. The Australian won the Formula 3 championship this season.

The last two days will be taken care of by Guanyu Zhou. Prior to this season, the Chinese was counted among the title contenders in Formula 2, but is currently in eighth place with only one victory. Perhaps this test is the ideal opportunity to show what he can do?