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Nico Hulkenberg has called on Renault to sort out its reliability problems sooner rather than later as it is "costing the team".
Hulkenberg has retired from the last two Grands Prix with MGU-K issues, while teammate Daniel Ricciardo also retired at moments after the German at Sakhir.
Renault introduced an upgraded specification of the MGU-K in Bahrain, which saw Ricciardo drive untroubled to a seventh-place finish, collecting his first points of the season.
While the Enstone squad confirmed that the issue that put Hulkenberg on the sidelines in China was a software problem, Hulkenberg is eager to see the team make progress.
"It's not good news," said Hulkenberg. "We really have to get on top of these things, because we're costing ourselves results, experience and points.
"I think we know that we have homework to do on that side. We need fixes rather sooner than later. It happened a couple of laps before I stopped, but we couldn't fix it, so the team asked me to park the car.
"I lost power and it didn't go anywhere. It looks like it's related to the MGU-K again, unfortunately. So it looks like we have more work to do there."
Hulkenberg admitted that he looked to be set for a tough race after emerging in traffic following his pit stop.
"It wasn't looking entirely okay," he reflected. "Unfortunately, I lost a position to Checo during the first lap, and then just sitting in traffic was really tough for me."
"Following another car was impossible, you were just sliding. We all kind of had the same pace so it was really difficult.
"Then I pitted, it was a slow pitstop and I came out on traffic. So it would have been a difficult recovery anyway."
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C. Sainz jr
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Replies (3)
Login to replyRam Samartha
Posts: 1,172
It's got to be frustrating for him especially when he's in a car that clearly has got good pace. it seems that if it's just software they should be able to get it sorted out fairly quickly and be fighting at the front of the midfield consistently.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Renault's got a glass rocket launcher at it's hand. It looks pretty fast, but not fast enough that the pace comes in handy longterm, methinks. I'm kinda sitting here and wondering whether they are actually going all out, or if they are already having to downclock their stuff to have some degree of reliability.
f1ski
Posts: 726
my best guess is that nothing equipment wise has really changed. That would be in keeping with the we are french we make the best of everything the first time let it age. Aging here is comprised of using the eco to generate more power. well the chassis can't cool the engine/electronics and boom. we've seen that scenario mclaren honda. and it still exists at renault and mclaren with renaults power plant. Could it be that MB uses a longer chassis not for pure handling but it allows for the packaging to accommodate the engine not only physically but thermally and the mini plus us more downforce from the floor.