Renault: Nico Hülkenberg on the pace, Jolyon Palmer on the wall
On his first official day with Renault, Nico Hülkenberg experienced no particular problems and finished both sessions in the top 10. It was a more difficult day for Jolyon Palmer, who suffered a technical problem and then went off track.
After a first season of learning, Renault has a lot to prove this season. The same goes for Nico Hülkenberg, who finally has the chance to join a manufacturer team. The German is eager to show his potential, even though he knows his car is not the best on the grid.
Hülkenberg: FP1 → 9th, 1:26.183 (15 laps) / FP2 → 9th, 1:25.478 (36 laps)
His first day in Melbourne went without any notable issues. He finished the first session in tenth position and ended his day with a slight improvement, securing ninth place in the second session. He could be satisfied with the reliability of his car as he completed 36 laps in the afternoon session without a single technical problem: For a first Friday of the season, I would say it was quite good. We have a solid base to work from. We made concrete progress on balance and settings while gaining a better understanding of the tires. The R.S.17 offers good sensations on Albert Park, and we know we can make progress tomorrow with everything we learned today.
Palmer: FP1 → 19th, 1:28.585 (6 laps) / FP2 → 20th, 1:27.549 (4 laps)
But the day was much more eventful on the other side of the Renault garage as Jolyon Palmer encountered a series of problems. During the morning session, he was only able to complete six short laps due to a cracked driveshaft boot, which required the intervention of his mechanics.
His total during the second session was even smaller since he only completed four short laps before being projected into the wall at the exit of the last corner, which caused the first red flag of the season.
This wasn’t in the opening day script for @RenaultSportF1 and @JolyonPalmer 😟#AusGP #FP2 #F1isBack 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/fq50X3eUAN
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2017
He could only lament having destroyed his single-seater and completed only 10 laps during the day: « Unfortunately, it was quite a short day for me in terms of time in the cockpit. We encountered a minor technical issue during the first session, then I went out in FP2. Unlike FP1, it required more than a replacement part. I don’t know exactly what happened and we will carefully study the data. »
The team’s mechanics will therefore be busy for a good part of the evening to repair the damaged race car.
