The Renault Sport Formula One team are up for a very exciting race as well as some big changes on the horizon. Next year, Renault will be supplying engines to McLaren’s team and in all likelihood have a new driver. But here’s what we learnt from our time with the team this week.
The team’s Chassis Technical Director, Nick Chester, is excited about the team’s future. Yes, they’ve had a lot to learn, but the team is setting themselves long term targets. By 2020, they aim to be at least the 5th best team of the season. It’s a realistic goal, one that Nick and his team are gradually building towards.
Following the deal with McLaren, it’s been decided that Jolyon Palmer will be replaced next season by Carlos Sainz. Still, the British driver feels like nothing has changed. His last race in Singapore saw him finish 6th – very respectable given the conditions. For his final stint at Sepang, he’s taking a strategic approach, looking to rack up more points in order to climb further up the ladder this season.
Then there’s Niko Hulkenberg. The charismatic German driver seemed the most excited for the race. Unlike many drivers, Niko completely disregards practicing on simulators. According to him, simulators can often be misleading. Drivers will go into an actual race expecting similar outcomes but end up being surprised by real world changes to the track. Nico is doing pretty well this season, and will be enjoying his final stint at the Sepang circuit in an F1 car.
