16-12-2010, 16:47
Renault F1 boss explains thinking behind change of role in F1
Posted on | December 16, 2010 | by | 8 Comments
There is a very interesting interview in French magazine Auto Hebdo this week, with Jean Francois Caubet, general manager of the Renault Sport F1 unit, which is now solely an engine supplier in F1, after the marque sold its stake in the F1 team to Genii Capital and Lotus.
Caubet justifies Renault’s decision to change role on the grounds of return on investment; F1 will now be a profit centre for the company with sales of engines to Red Bull and Lotus and then in 2013 a fourth team as well.
Lotus Renault GP livery
For the next two seasons, Renault will also benefit from significant branding on the Lotus Renault GP cars, as well as a partnership with Red Bull which this year brought Renault its 9th world championship as an engine maker.
Right now Renault finds itself embroiled in the battle over the right to race as Lotus in F1 and he is quite fleet footed in dealing with the main points,
“We have a contract for engine supply without knowing yet what the name of the team will be, ” he says. “We don’t want to get involved in this quarrel, it’s up to Renault and Proton to sort this out. The deal with Tony Fernandes is a little complicated by this name business, but his team has shown itself to be the most active of the three new teams in 2010. If we want to start looking for a fourth team for 2013, we need a solid base of three teams.
” We are very comfortable with Lotus Cars, which is not a direct competitor. They produce 2000 cars a year, our relationship with Proton is also excellent. The market is global now and Malaysia must open its borders (to foreign vehicle imports) and Proton must come out of isolation to conquer new markets. So it needs a strong car maker ally. They want to work with us, so industrial and strategic links are in place way above what is going on in F1. ”
Caubet: Believes other manufacturers will join F1 in 2013
He also praised the announcement by the FIA of the new 2013 engine based on a small capacity turbo engine with KERS, “The 2013 engine opens up the game, ” he said. ” The FIA dossier is clear; if we have technological innovations it’s up to us to introduce them. The competition is totally open. We will limit costs with precise rules; materials, number of engines per season, rev limit etc. But we are free in terms of technology. It’s a clean sheet of paper for everyone and may the best one win! 1600cc, twin turbo, direct injection, big KERS, 600 horsepower in the engine and another 150 in the KERS boos and controlled fuel consumption. ”
Caubet believes that after several years of
engine specifications in the interests of cost saving, the new engine rules will give the chance -at least initially – for the engine to be the differentiator in performance, “There are three groups of manufacturers,” he said. ” The French, including Renault; the Germans including Mercedes. It’s too soon for BMW to return and then there is VW which is hesitating. Why because from 2013 the engine could be the difference between winning and losing/ The risk is there. The third group? It is the Japanese – they have all been there at the meetings and I’ve been surprised by their interest in the new engine. Of course talking is free, but I sense that they’ve evolved their thinking.. the Europeans are there, it’s new technology…we can’t afford not to be there too.” Honda are thinking very seriously about it.
Caubet also feels from conversations with his opposite numbers at other car companies that they are all reviewing involvement and sponsorship spend in other sports, when motor sport is so obviously connected to the car industry.
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?mkt=es-es&Ref=WLButton&a=http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/12/renault-f1-boss-explains-thinking-behind-change-of-role-in-f1/
Posted on | December 16, 2010 | by | 8 Comments
There is a very interesting interview in French magazine Auto Hebdo this week, with Jean Francois Caubet, general manager of the Renault Sport F1 unit, which is now solely an engine supplier in F1, after the marque sold its stake in the F1 team to Genii Capital and Lotus.
Caubet justifies Renault’s decision to change role on the grounds of return on investment; F1 will now be a profit centre for the company with sales of engines to Red Bull and Lotus and then in 2013 a fourth team as well.
Lotus Renault GP livery
For the next two seasons, Renault will also benefit from significant branding on the Lotus Renault GP cars, as well as a partnership with Red Bull which this year brought Renault its 9th world championship as an engine maker.
Right now Renault finds itself embroiled in the battle over the right to race as Lotus in F1 and he is quite fleet footed in dealing with the main points,
“We have a contract for engine supply without knowing yet what the name of the team will be, ” he says. “We don’t want to get involved in this quarrel, it’s up to Renault and Proton to sort this out. The deal with Tony Fernandes is a little complicated by this name business, but his team has shown itself to be the most active of the three new teams in 2010. If we want to start looking for a fourth team for 2013, we need a solid base of three teams.
” We are very comfortable with Lotus Cars, which is not a direct competitor. They produce 2000 cars a year, our relationship with Proton is also excellent. The market is global now and Malaysia must open its borders (to foreign vehicle imports) and Proton must come out of isolation to conquer new markets. So it needs a strong car maker ally. They want to work with us, so industrial and strategic links are in place way above what is going on in F1. ”
Caubet: Believes other manufacturers will join F1 in 2013
He also praised the announcement by the FIA of the new 2013 engine based on a small capacity turbo engine with KERS, “The 2013 engine opens up the game, ” he said. ” The FIA dossier is clear; if we have technological innovations it’s up to us to introduce them. The competition is totally open. We will limit costs with precise rules; materials, number of engines per season, rev limit etc. But we are free in terms of technology. It’s a clean sheet of paper for everyone and may the best one win! 1600cc, twin turbo, direct injection, big KERS, 600 horsepower in the engine and another 150 in the KERS boos and controlled fuel consumption. ”
Caubet believes that after several years of
engine specifications in the interests of cost saving, the new engine rules will give the chance -at least initially – for the engine to be the differentiator in performance, “There are three groups of manufacturers,” he said. ” The French, including Renault; the Germans including Mercedes. It’s too soon for BMW to return and then there is VW which is hesitating. Why because from 2013 the engine could be the difference between winning and losing/ The risk is there. The third group? It is the Japanese – they have all been there at the meetings and I’ve been surprised by their interest in the new engine. Of course talking is free, but I sense that they’ve evolved their thinking.. the Europeans are there, it’s new technology…we can’t afford not to be there too.” Honda are thinking very seriously about it.Caubet also feels from conversations with his opposite numbers at other car companies that they are all reviewing involvement and sponsorship spend in other sports, when motor sport is so obviously connected to the car industry.
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?mkt=es-es&Ref=WLButton&a=http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/12/renault-f1-boss-explains-thinking-behind-change-of-role-in-f1/
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