[ 2020 ] Renault F1 Team - Renault

[ALO_Power]

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/59540/-d ... done-.html

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando- ... o-renault/

[PlatinumZealot]

Renault needs to have a CEO first
And a strategy

It is possible that they stop, but also if budget cap is low and sponsor cover expenses why not stay?

They have invest a lot of money in Enstone and Viry

They have a new CEO though. Cant recal his name now

[Macklaren]

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/59540/-d ... done-.html

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando- ... o-renault/

Makes you wonder why McLaren didn't give him the seat if his salary is being subsidized by Liberty and he still has close enough ties to drive for them at Indy.

[ringo]

I think Renault NEED Alonso for next year.
Relative to the other midfield teams they have ended up losing the most. Mclaren got Ricciardo and a Mercedes engine.
Torro Rosso got more redbull parts. Racing Point a pink mercedes etc.
Alonso is maybe the blessing in disguise for them, he can definitely allow them to be best of the rest if the car is well balanced and the engine is reliable; it doesn't even have to be a driveable engine it just needs to have comparable power.

[Big Tea]

I think Renault NEED Alonso for next year.
Relative to the other midfield teams they have ended up losing the most. Mclaren got Ricciardo and a Mercedes engine.
Torro Rosso got more redbull parts. Racing Point a pink mercedes etc.
Alonso is maybe the blessing in disguise for them, he can definitely allow them to be best of the rest if the car is well balanced and the engine is reliable; it doesn't even have to be a driveable engine it just needs to have comparable power.

I suspect they still remember the 'GP2 engine" calls and wonder what remarks they would be associated with.
They are not right on top of their game right now and a few cringing nudges like that on air could well lead to a call to Renault HQ and the decision the advertising is not worth they are investing.

[McL-H]

It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault can’t give him that. Not at this time. If he’d wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.

I don’t know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.

[Manoah2u]

It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault can’t give him that. Not at this time. If he’d wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.

I don’t know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.

Vettel said the same as Alonso, that he doesn't want to race for a buildup team, so despite having an offer from Renault, he'll either go to Mercedes or go home.

And yes, that's the same for Nando. He won't drive for a team that isn't podium capable, or perhaps even better said, he only would drive for a team that can instantly give him a P1 finishing car. So it's all fun and games for the people claiming a few Twitter posts with young Alonso are some secret code that Alonso will drive for Renault in 2021, it's not gonna happen. And since Ferrari is now fully occupied, RedBull don't have room for Alonso since they've got Honda power (the same reason Alonso doesn't get certain drives in Indy), and Mclaren neither was succesfull nor is going to have a winning car in 2021 despite having a Mercedes engine, the ONLY seat remotely interested for Alonso would be one at Mercedes. And since Hamilton is not going anywhere now that Ferrari is closed, that can only be that of Bottas, and whilst Toto has been outspoken of his interest in contracting Vettel (thus to replace Bottas), then there is simply not a seat available @ Mercedes, and then that's not even mentioning the fact Mercedes has made it clear they won't combine Hamilton to Alonso OR will sign Alonso EVER because of the Spygate incident. Which quite frankly means that the only reason Alonso drove @ Mclaren recently was because there was a Honda engine and now a Renault, but with Mercedes power in 2021, that also equals NO ALONSO.

So we're back where we started: despite Renault having a seat available, which could be occupied by either Vettel or Alonso, BOTH drivers WILL NOT drive for a team that is not podium capable, so that means neither will end up there.

I expect Bottas to be contracted there for 2021, which makes sense, but offcourse that will mean his seat @ Mercedes will be given to someone else. Vettel perhaps, or perhaps Russell. Bottas makes sense even though I personally don't rate him that high at all, certainly not better than Ricciardo, but definately better than Hulk. Either way, I think that his value is not actually in his speed potential - I think they've got Ocon for that - but rather in his experience, feedback and knowledge @ Mercedes. So Bottas imo makes a lot of sense especially alongside Ocon.

The thing is, who else would replace Ricciardo in 2021 @ Renault? Gasly is french and has some quickness, but to be honest really doesn't bring so much to the table at all, and Renault isn't just looking for a driver, they want a pairing that can get them podiums and wins if they get the material capable, they don't want a question mark, even if he is french. Grosjean would be funny to see return to Renault but quite frankly he needs to go, he's long overdue, is very unpredictable and unstable, and to be honest, unmotivated. He may have some experience, but i don't even think his experience is usable for Renault at this point. Kimi won't go back, nor is the right person to drive there. Kubica would be very interesting, but then Kubica is contracted @ Alfa Romeo and Renault has passed upon him before and though I'd like to hope and think otherwise, probably for a reason, so i don't see why that would suddenly be any different.
I remember Petrov complaining about Kubica before too, that he didnt share anything, so i also doubt that he'd be hired for those services to Ocon either.

Mercedes already lost Ocon to Renault, I doubt Russell will go there but it would be an interesting pair.
Perez didn't really fare well alongside Ocon but in the end it's really not that it would hamper his presence there,
and apart from Bottas, I really can't see anybody fitting to fill Daniels seat but for Sergio Perez. (Obviously still maintaining Vettel won't go there).

So for 2021,
I believe the second Renault F1 seat will go to either Bottas or Perez.

[PlatinumZealot]

It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault can’t give him that. Not at this time. If he’d wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.

I don’t know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.

He is too proud for that. Squabbling for eighth place while Leclerc smiles at the blue flags on the dash.

[PlatinumZealot]

It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault can’t give him that. Not at this time. If he’d wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.

I don’t know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.

Vettel said the same as Alonso, that he doesn't want to race for a buildup team, so despite having an offer from Renault, he'll either go to Mercedes or go home.

And yes, that's the same for Nando. He won't drive for a team that isn't podium capable, or perhaps even better said, he only would drive for a team that can instantly give him a P1 finishing car. So it's all fun and games for the people claiming a few Twitter posts with young Alonso are some secret code that Alonso will drive for Renault in 2021, it's not gonna happen. And since Ferrari is now fully occupied, RedBull don't have room for Alonso since they've got Honda power (the same reason Alonso doesn't get certain drives in Indy), and Mclaren neither was succesfull nor is going to have a winning car in 2021 despite having a Mercedes engine, the ONLY seat remotely interested for Alonso would be one at Mercedes. And since Hamilton is not going anywhere now that Ferrari is closed, that can only be that of Bottas, and whilst Toto has been outspoken of his interest in contracting Vettel (thus to replace Bottas), then there is simply not a seat available @ Mercedes, and then that's not even mentioning the fact Mercedes has made it clear they won't combine Hamilton to Alonso OR will sign Alonso EVER because of the Spygate incident. Which quite frankly means that the only reason Alonso drove @ Mclaren recently was because there was a Honda engine and now a Renault, but with Mercedes power in 2021, that also equals NO ALONSO.

So we're back where we started: despite Renault having a seat available, which could be occupied by either Vettel or Alonso, BOTH drivers WILL NOT drive for a team that is not podium capable, so that means neither will end up there.

I expect Bottas to be contracted there for 2021, which makes sense, but offcourse that will mean his seat @ Mercedes will be given to someone else. Vettel perhaps, or perhaps Russell. Bottas makes sense even though I personally don't rate him that high at all, certainly not better than Ricciardo, but definately better than Hulk. Either way, I think that his value is not actually in his speed potential - I think they've got Ocon for that - but rather in his experience, feedback and knowledge @ Mercedes. So Bottas imo makes a lot of sense especially alongside Ocon.

The thing is, who else would replace Ricciardo in 2021 @ Renault? Gasly is french and has some quickness, but to be honest really doesn't bring so much to the table at all, and Renault isn't just looking for a driver, they want a pairing that can get them podiums and wins if they get the material capable, they don't want a question mark, even if he is french. Grosjean would be funny to see return to Renault but quite frankly he needs to go, he's long overdue, is very unpredictable and unstable, and to be honest, unmotivated. He may have some experience, but i don't even think his experience is usable for Renault at this point. Kimi won't go back, nor is the right person to drive there. Kubica would be very interesting, but then Kubica is contracted @ Alfa Romeo and Renault has passed upon him before and though I'd like to hope and think otherwise, probably for a reason, so i don't see why that would suddenly be any different.
I remember Petrov complaining about Kubica before too, that he didnt share anything, so i also doubt that he'd be hired for those services to Ocon either.

Mercedes already lost Ocon to Renault, I doubt Russell will go there but it would be an interesting pair.
Perez didn't really fare well alongside Ocon but in the end it's really not that it would hamper his presence there,
and apart from Bottas, I really can't see anybody fitting to fill Daniels seat but for Sergio Perez. (Obviously still maintaining Vettel won't go there).

So for 2021,
I believe the second Renault F1 seat will go to either Bottas or Perez.

Kubica is as slow as molasses and complains too much. He simply doesn't have the speed nor leadership qualities that Renault needs. Williams was glad to be rid of him.

[Jolle]

I can see the logic that Liberty wants Alonso in this seat. Good chance that for 2021 Hamilton would be the only WC on the grid, or worse, if he would quit, no WC... too great of a risk.

But.. a sponsored seat in a midfield car... if he does take an offer like that, I hope he gets beaten by Ocon.

[Manoah2u]

Kubica is as slow as molasses and complains too much. He simply doesn't have the speed nor leadership qualities that Renault needs. Williams was glad to be rid of him.

A bit harsh on him regarding the first, and though i don't fully agree, i think it's hard to deny even for fans ( I think i am one of those to a degree ) that he definately isn't even a shadow of his former self.
The complaining, yeah, I must agree quite well there.
The Leadership qualities are definately something he doesn't have and indeed, I really don't think he's what Renault would need. As for Williams, well, Williams was glad to be rid of him for one reason only and that was money.
They leeched off of his sponsor money, and now ditched him so they can get more leech money from his 'replacement'.
But that's for another topic.

Has Renault announced when they want to have a new driver signed and/or how many seasons they are looking for?
Daniel was quite the expensive investment and it didn't really bring them 'much' (even though one might argue what would have happened if they hadn't had Daniel), so I doubt they're willing to pay another tag like that, meaining even the 4-time WDC Vettel surely will not have even such a salary methinks.

[PlatinumZealot]

They would LOVE to have Vettel. That shows their intent. But does Vettel want them??

Alonsois option No.2. But all I see is fireworks between him and Cyril. Not to mention he would havw to burn his McLaren bridge to go over to Renault.

[ringo]

Perez is safe with Aston Martin, he wont leave unless he gets a winning seat. And he is too good to be terminated.

Bottas strangely enough is a weak link, but Mercedes would make a mistake to get rid of him, they would be weakening the team to use a driver like Russel. Russel cant even give them money to coax Bottas out of the seat.
Also he needs to drive some more to really show if he is deserving of the Mercedes drive.

I suspect, Vandorne, Alonso, Wheirlin, Hulkenberg, in the seat. Vettel to retire.

[Miha_v]

I think it’s going to happen. 1 year hiatus might just have changed Fernando’s opinion (about only returning if he gets top car). He misses racing and is maybe looking into a multi-year contract. Whenever rumors are this loud, they usually come true, from what I’ve seen in recent years. Besides, nothing is stopping him from making a possible seat change when he returns. Looking at Kimi’s career, almost anything is possible.

Vandoorne? He’s a gone from this sport. Hulk maybe. Very doubt about Vettel possibility.

[Chuckjr]

I'm pretty well convinced Fred will be in a Renault possibly this year maybe next. If he does not take the seat, he will never come back to F1. Just my 2 cents.