Engine development for Renault in Barcelona

As Ferrari, Renault introduces a new internal combustion engine (ICE) in Barcelona this weekend. Honda had already done the same in Baku. According to our information, the four single-seaters powered by the Losange – namely the factory RS19s and the McLaren – will receive this improved ICE, and this unlike Ferrari which will reserve its new products for its SF90 only.

The development is supposed to bring a gain in reliability and allow more aggressive use of a power unit placed under the rear forks following a cascade of abandonments linked to the MGU-K at the first meetings of the season.

While these engine changes will not result in a penalty in Spain, drivers equipped with a Renault unit seem doomed to fall back on the grid later in the year. No matter, the main thing for the moment is to find a little serenity after a trying start to the campaign.

With only three ICEs authorized per driver across all 21 2019 Grands Prix, we were expecting to see the first engine developments arriving in Montreal for the 7th meeting of the championship. Time will tell if this approach will pay off in the long term.

Let us also remember that the French manufacturer has carried out an internal re-organization this week, in its two entitiesenstone (chassis part), and Viry-Châtillon (engine part).