Abiteboul: Renault start disappointing, team adapting

Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul has made no excuses over his team’s underwhelming start to 2019 and says its “adapted to address the situation” in preparation for the Monaco Grand Prix.

The French manufacturer has collected just two points finishes from the opening five rounds, a pair of seventh place finishes which came in Australia for Nico Hulkenberg and in China for Daniel Ricciardo, which has seen the team slip down to eighth place in the F1 world constructors’ championship.

With the pressure ramping up on Renault to turnaround its results, Abiteboul remains confident the team has the tools and resources to reach its targets and has hinted changes have been applied to find solutions after the second in-season F1 test which took place at Circuit de Catalunya directly after the Spanish Grand Prix.

“The first five races of the year have been disappointing but as ever we have adapted to address the situation,” Abiteboul said.

“We understand the overall level of our car and the progress we need to make to satisfy our objectives, but at the same time, we appreciate the role circumstances have played in those five races.

“We have the necessary ability, resources and resilience at Enstone and Viry, but also two determined and talented drivers to recover our real competitiveness level.”

Assessing its chances in Monaco, where Renault grabbed a double points finish 12 months ago, Abiteboul has faith its drivers can help kickstart the turnaround this weekend with the added boost of last year’s starring winner Daniel Ricciardo now its ranks after his Red Bull move.

“Monaco is a circuit that offers a huge challenge, and it’s one that gives surprises too,” he said. “Daniel enters this Grand Prix as last year’s pole sitter and race winner and we’ll be counting on his and Nico’s experience to give the result we need to lift our campaign.”