Renault Sport F1 Team on track

In its n°2048, available in digital version and on newsstands, AUTOhebdo was already drawing the outlines of the future stable Renault. An organization which was confirmed on February 3, two months to the day after the announcement of the return of the brand in F1, in the presence of the president of the Renault-Nissan alliance Carlos Ghosn, at the Technocentre in Guyancourt (Yvelines).

Firstly, the official name of the team was revealed: Renault Sport F1 Team. The livery of the car, responding to the name of Renault RS16, was presented. Mostly black, with a few yellow stripes, this livery should evolve before the first Melbourne Grand Prix, on March 20.

As for sponsors, Microsoft and EMC will still be present in 2016 and will trust the luxury watchmaker Bell & Ross, the acoustic engineering company Devialet, and the ready-to-wear group Bestseller. Renault will continue to work with Gravity Motorsports, with Gérard Lopez serving as non-executive director of the team.

Among the pilots, if Jolyon Palmer will see the contract signed with Lotus F1 Team at the end of last year honoured, Pastor Maldonado, who announced that he would not be present in 2016 last Monday, will be replaced by the Dane Kevin Magnussen, former pilot McLaren. French Esteban Ocon, European champion of F3 2014 and 3 GP2015 Series champion will be the reserve driver.

In the organization chart, alongside Jérôme Stoll, director of Renault Sport F1, and Cyril Abiteboul, general director of Renault Sport F1, the big news comes from the arrival of Frédéric Vasseur as competition director. Renault also announced that it was working on a Driving Academy.

Bob Bell, technical director of Renault F1 during the 2005 and 2006 doubles, will oversee the technical part of the project. Nick Chester will be in charge of the chassis and Rémi Taffin of the engine part.

>>>>> Renault RS16 photos <<<<

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