Renault must rebuild everything in Enstone - Briatore

  • Published on 09 Dec 2015 10:44
  • comments 3
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore has urged the French carmaker to look carefully at its contracted driver lineup for 2016. Amid Lotus' struggle for survival late this season, it re-signed the lucratively PDVSA-backed Pastor Maldonado and announced that Friday driver Jolyon Palmer will make his race debut for the Enstone team next year.

But that was before Renault announced that it is definitely re-acquiring its former works team. After surviving a court date over unpaid tax this week that could have seen Lotus put into administration, Lotus CEO Matthew Carter said he believes Renault will honour the contracts with Maldonado and Palmer.

But Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn had declared: "We will wait a few weeks. I refer to a meeting in January 2016, when we will explain the organisation, goals, strategy and we will also talk about drivers and partners," he told Le Figaro newspaper.

Former team boss Briatore insists Renault must revisit the issue of drivers. "It's true that Renault must rebuild everything," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "including the technical team. Enstone lost some great engineers, and Viry also. It will be not easy. If you want to win, you must change the drivers as well."

Counting himself out of the running, however, was 2015 Lotus driver Romain Grosjean, even though his French nationality would appear to make him ideal. Grosjean, however, has signed up with the new Ferrari-linked team Haas for 2016, declaring: "At Renault they need at least three years to get back to the top and I'm almost 30. Let's say I have ahead of me a maximum of five or six seasons left in F1. I can't wait any longer and this option (Haas) could open other opportunities for me." (GMM)

Replies (3)

Login to reply
  • Well, who would you replace them with? Not many (better) options in my opinion.

    As far as Grosjean goes, Haas will at least need 3 years to get to a winning level. Renault, being a factory team, would be a much better option. But now he has a seat and it might work out for him.

    • + 0
    • Dec 9 2015 - 11:10
    • khasmir

      Posts: 893

      I would replace Maldonado with Magnussen ;)
      Palmer deserves his chance, he won GP2 last year and has the sponsors.

      For Grosjean it could also mean a to have a foot in the door of Ferrari in the future. Haas won't be winning any championships soon but they could be competitive quite quickly.

      • + 0
      • Dec 9 2015 - 18:43
    • For Grosjean I think you are right he has his hopes on that. But I do not think he is that good.

      Renault will need to work hard on the (new) car and probably can do with a more experienced driver. And there are still the millions Maldonado brought in.

      There is no really good experienced driver available right now.

      • + 0
      • Dec 10 2015 - 09:33

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team -
  • Points -
  • Podiums -
  • Grand Prix -
  • Country FR
  • Date of b. Apr 17 1986 (38)
  • Place of b. Geneve, FR
  • Weight 71 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar