P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Rumours are swirling over Renault’s commitment to its F1 project, with outgoing boss Bruno Famin weighing in on the deficit that exists compared to other manufacturers.
Outgoing Alpine F1 team principal Bruno Famin has revealed the deficit of Renault’s F1 power unit compared to the competition, highlighting struggles dating back to the beginning of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014. The once successful partnership with Red Bull ended due to performance issues, leading Renault to concentrate solely on powering its own works team starting in 2021. Recent speculations suggest that Renault might be considering cancelling the project, with employees at the Viry factory already briefed on the potential switch to a different power unit from 2026. Despite a development freeze since 2022, Renault’s engine is considered the weakest on the grid, costing the team about two-tenths per lap on average, depending on the circuit. Famin emphasized that the current engine is down by 15 kilowatts, contributing to the average 10 to 15 kilowatts deficit compared to competitors. Going forward, Renault aims to address these challenges and improve its power unit performance in the highly competitive F1 landscape.
