Renault confident of big progress after set-up changes

Renault duo Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer believe the team has made big progress in understanding its car following set-up experiments in Austrian Grand Prix practice.

Kevin Magnussen, Renault Sport F1 Team RS16

Jolyon Palmer, Renault Sport F1 Team RS16

After a difficult few races, Magnussen reverted to some old set-up solutions at the Red Bull Ring to try to get to grips on whether recent struggles were down to track characteristics or because the team had gone in a wrong direction with its chassis.

That work has helped the team have faith in the solutions it has now come up with, which is why there is some more optimism about what is possible over the next few races.

"It's helped but we have also learned what is not working," said Magnussen. "I think in P2 we put together what we now think is the optimum package we have – and it is a lot better than some of the things we have tried. But it has been good to try [these things] at least."

Magnussen said that the set-up answers would not deliver a dramatic improvement in pace, but they would at least allow the team to make the most of what it has.

"I think in terms of competitiveness I don't know, but for the balance and feel of the car, with what we have chosen now, it will be better for coming races which are high speed tracks," he explained.

"We have probably gone the wrong way for the slow tracks and now we have got a mix of things. For the coming races we should know where we are and be in a more optimum place."

Speaking about the benefit of getting answers, Palmer added: "It has proved it has been the tracks that haven't suited us, and it is coming to a track with a smooth surface and a non-street circuit has made the biggest different.

"Generally bumpiness, we have been struggling with brake locking and not getting the right aero platform. Here, the car is more stable and more consistent. So we are quicker."

Palmer reckoned a challenge on Q2 was on the cards for Saturday.

"I think we are more competitive than Baku definitely," he explained. "The car is working much better. The track is very, very smooth, so that is in our favour.

"We split the cars in P1 and we are happy with the direction we are going in. Overall we have learned something again, we are more competitive and no dramas so it has been quite good."