Report: Renault Squanders Its Chances to Start the Year Well

Robert Kubica finished the first Grand Prix of the season in 11th place, while Vitaly Petrov was forced to retire before mid-race.

The first Grand Prix of the 2010 season had nevertheless started well for Renault. The team positioned itself as a challenger to the leading teams with Kubica placed in 9th position. However, during the race, things went differently. The Pole was forced into an error at the first corner due to a lack of visibility. Behind Mark Webber’s Red Bull, Kubica couldn’t see anything because of thick smoke coming from the RBR’s exhaust. Too quickly, too far, Kubica spun and rejoined in 21st position after his misadventure. A Grand Prix with an unfinished feel for the Pole, who nonetheless managed to climb back to 11th place.

Vitaly Petrov had a start, unlike Kubica who was excellent. The Russian took advantage of the smoke to climb to 11th place after the start (having started 17th) but had to pit earlier than expected to check the front right suspension. The Russian will not be allowed to continue, as his suspension is at risk of failing.

Robert Kubica – 11th:

« All our weekend work was ruined by the first lap incident. During the formation lap, we had an oil overflow problem and had to remove it on the grid. I think Webber had the same issue after the first turn because his engine spewed a huge cloud right in front of me. Sutil didn’t lift his foot because he couldn’t see anything, and he hit me. I then spun off and that damaged my rear tires. From that moment, they started to overheat and I had to stop very early, on lap 12, to change them. I spent the rest of the race on hard compounds and it was a real challenge: I simply set myself the goal of finishing the race in the points, but we narrowly missed out. Without the first turn incident, I think we would have scored a lot of points. We showed that we have the speed to perform well. From a general standpoint, the weekend was positive for us. We prepared well this winter, the team did a great job on the track and in Enstone to prepare the cars according to Bahrain’s new specifications, and we didn’t experience any engine or brake problems. Now, we need to keep working and pushing forward. »

Vitaly Petrov – Withdrawal

« I got a very good start and was holding the pace in 11th position from the end of the first lap. The car was well balanced and I was faster than Rubens Barrichello, who was in front of me. Then, I went wide in turn 12 and that certainly damaged my front left suspension. I came in to have it checked and we then realized that the suspension couldn’t be repaired. I had to retire. It’s an extremely disappointing end to the race, especially after such a good start, but I’m satisfied with how things went for my first weekend. I want to thank my mechanics and the whole team for the car they provided me today. They did a fantastic job. »

Eric Boullier – Director:

« I have mixed feelings after this first race. Robert bore the brunt of a racing incident on the first lap when he collided with another car, but he drove a fantastic race to climb back through the field. It’s frustrating to finish just outside the points, but on the other hand, we are encouraged by our competitiveness. I’m sorry for Vitaly as well. He got off to an incredible start and performed perfectly in the opening laps, managing his tires without overdriving and showing that he was on pace. In general, we can say that the R30 is a good base, but we know there will be a lot of work to do to catch up with the cars ahead of us. The team has worked tirelessly over the past weeks, both at the factory and on the track, and has done a great job. Team spirit is at an all-time high, and we are all determined to continue our efforts in order to keep improving. »

Alan Permane – Chief Engineer

« We are disappointed not to have scored points today. Robert was hit from behind on the first lap and found himself almost last. He finished 11th, and his second stint on hard tires was excellent. Vitaly got off to a very good start before experiencing a suspension problem, which we are currently analyzing. The positive aspect of the race is that the car was competitive today. We could have finished in a much better position. I am sure that with the technical improvements planned for the upcoming races, our performance can only get better.

Rémi Taffin – Head of Track Operations:

« The whole team had a very difficult first weekend but they rose to the challenge. Our two drivers did an impeccable job: Vitaly raised his game throughout the weekend, while Robert met our expectations. He was the victim of an incident at the start and it’s really unfortunate. On the engine front, we used the same V8s all weekend and experienced no problems. We had no unpleasant surprises with a heavy fuel load, nor in terms of consumption, and we adhered to our strategy to the letter. We hope our work will pay off in Melbourne. »

According to a statement from the Renault F1 Team