MAJOR CHANGES AT RENAULT

Major changes at Renault – Photo: Suttons Images

Renault, home F1 team to Aussie Daniel Ricciardo, has announced a major restructuring plan of its UK technical department.

By DAN KNUTSON

Technical director Nick Chester has left the team and will now be on a period of “gardening leave” when he is not permitted to work for any other racing team. It is speculated that he will eventually end up at the beleaguered Williams squad.

“The team wishes Nick well for the future and thanks him for his significant contribution to the team’s achievements,” Renault said in a team statement.

Nick Chester commented: “I have enjoyed 19 years in a team with great spirit and have worked with an incredibly loyal and talented group of people. I am looking forward to a new challenge and wish everybody in the team all the best for the future.”

Renault hired Dirk de Beer in November to replace Peter Machin as head of aerodynamics. The team continues to evolve and restructure in its effort to close the gap to the big three teams. Renault’s goal was to finish a strong fourth in the 2019 constructors’ championship, but instead it ended up fifth and 54 points behind McLaren.

Former Benetton/Ferrari/McLaren engineer Pat Fry is scheduled to join Renault in a senior position once he is free of his contractual obligations with McLaren. Fry helped transform McLaren, so that team will keep him on gardening leave as long as possible to keep him from helping Renault improve.

Most of the design of the 2020 Renault has already been completed, so Fry’s input would be largely directed at the 2021 car as well as refining the 2020 model.

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