The relationship between Renault and Max Verstappen could certainly be better, the Dutchman replied to the Frenchman’s claim that the 1,000 hp mark had been broken in his own engine:

“If they really do have 1,000 hp, then they have a really bad car! Renault, however, emphasises that this figure is correct.

“We know that there are people who are sceptical and make jokes about it,” team boss Cyril Abiteboul alludes to the Verstappen comment to “Auto Hebdo” and asserts:

“There is no doubt that we have a strong power unit. We’ve already exceeded the 1,000 hp mark a few Grands Prix days ago”. 

The Renault boss asserts that there is corresponding “data and GPS measurements” as proof.

He also refers to the races in Montreal, Spa and Monza.

On the power circuit in Italy, Renault actually clinched the best result of the 2019 season with positions a fourth and a fifth place finish, while in Canada they were placed sixth and seventh.

“The truth is that we started a restructuring in Viry in 2016. Three years later we have a top engine,” says Abiteboul.

At the same time, however, he confessed what Remi Taffin had already admitted:

“We [the 1,000 hp] can’t always call it off”.

For the engine it is currently still too risky to always call up the entire power output. Instead, we only release it in special situations like qualifying. In the Constructors Championship, Renault is currently only in a disappointing fifth place.

McLaren revival greatly helped

Meanwhile, Abiteboul insists that their power unit has boosted its customer McLaren, and admitted Renault’s chassis is inferior.

“It’s a bit of an awkward situation, but clearly McLaren’s resurrection is also due to a combination of a resurgence on the power unit side and on the chassis side,” Abiteboul told Autosport.

“I think they have a better chassis in certain conditions, we have a better car overall and a better chassis in the other conditions.

“That’s a fact, so I think it’s going to be about track characteristics and who is capable of seizing the opportunity offered by the track.”

Ex-driver explains: “Vettel has problems with Ferrari”

Sebastian Vettel is criticised by many Formula 1 observers after his botched weekend in Monza. Quite a few are now of the opinion that he lost his number one status with Ferrari to Charles Leclerc. Some even believe that Vettel’s time in the top class is coming to an end.

But Juan Pablo Montoya thinks that Vettel can strike back again: “I think he doesn’t like…….. READ MORE