Abiteboul: both Renaults must finish in the points in Hungary

Renault Sport F1 Team regained color at the end of the British GP played on July 14 at Silverstone with a sixth place won by Nico Hulkenberg. The Losange is still only in eighth place in the Manufacturers' Championship but is only three points behind Haas F1 Team and seven points from Toro Rosso.

“We arrive in Hungary feeling positive given the recent performances achieved with the R.S. 17, notes Cyril Abiteboul, the director of Renault Sport Racing. Budapest is the last race before the summer break and that gives us even more motivation. Our goals remain unchanged. We want to be 6th by July 30 and 5th at the end of the season. »

“We saw at Silverstone that we continue to progress, adds Cyril Abiteboul. Chassis developments, including the new flat bottom, played a role in Nico's eight points and the performance of both cars in qualifying. It is essential that this progress translates into a points finish for both cars in Hungary. We want to finish the first part of the season on a positive note. To achieve this, we must resolve our reliability concerns. »

Jolyon Palmer is still on the hunt for a first top ten, the Briton having had three retirements this season due to mechanical problems.

“I burned my underwear which was bringing me bad luck. I am not superstitious, but I must recognize that the streak of bad luck must stop, says the Briton. There were positives at Silverstone. My pace in qualifying was good. I tested the new flat bottom in FP1 and I'm happy to have it for Budapest. He showed promise with Nico. We seem competitive compared to our mid-pack opponents and that brings hope for Hungary. »

Jolyon Palmer took 12th place last year at the Hungaroring. His former teammate Kevin Magnussen had finished 15th.