Renault reveals 2016 Formula 1 livery - "we've been true to our history"

Renault has unveiled its official livery for the 2016 Formula 1 season just a few days before the racing begins at the Australian Grand Prix.

When the French manufacturer launched its 2016 challenger back in February, it used a predominantly black colour scheme with touches of its traditional yellow racing paint.

The team said at the time that the launch livery was likely to change before the start of the season and at an event in Melbourne on Wednesday, it revealed a new arrangement of matte yellow across most of the car – except for the front and rear wings, which remain black – with elements of gold towards the rear of the RS16.

The matte effect follows Red Bull’s own use of the finish on the RB12, which is thought to provide significant weight saving and potential aerodynamic benefits.

Speaking at the livery launch, Renault’s managing director Cyril Abiteboul explained that the new colour scheme was selected to help the team stand out on the F1 grid as well as recognising the brand’s history.

He said: "Today is about what's in the season to come, and the important thing is the colour, that it says a lot about your identity and who you stand for. Tonight is about our identity and what Renault stands for.

"I look around and it looks like people are trying to disappear from the Tarmac, so we've gone for something different. I think it works well. We've gone for yellow, which has been the colour of Renault since 1946, so we've been true to our history."

Abiteboul also explained that the team had elected to keep some parts of the car black after receiving positive feedback during winter testing and described the gold flashes at the rear of the car as a statement of the company’s intent to succeed in F1.

He said: "It is matte, which has some connection with the road cars. You can see some bits of black, which we decided to keep because we understand there was a lot of enthusiasm for the car we tested over the winter.

"You can also see some gold at the back of the car. It will be even more visible on the race car - which is a statement for where we want to go and nothing less than that.”

Not giving up on 2016

When Renault launched the RS16, the company described its three-year plan to get back to the F1 podium and there was a clear feeling that 2016 would be a transitional year for the former Lotus squad.

But the team’s racing director Frederic Vasseur has said that Renault will not give up on the 2016 season in favour of building towards 2017.

He said: "My concern today is to be sure that we will keep the system under pressure. Nobody will give up the season. It would be a mistake.

"Okay, it's not an easy season and we know that we took over the company very late and we'll see for 2017 - but I think it would be a mistake [to give up], because we want to keep the team in fighting spirit and we need to go for the guy in front.

"We will arrive in Melbourne and then we will build up the roadmap for the season."

Magnussen - "RS16 will come good"

Renault managed 2245 miles in winter testing, which was only ahead of McLaren, Manor and Sauber, and neither Kevin Magnussen nor Jolyon Palmer made it into the top ten combined fastest lap classification of the two tests.

But Magnussen, who returns to F1 after a season on the sidelines that followed his stint with McLaren in 2014, believes the team is happy with the RS16 and hopes it can improve the car’s performance throughout the year.

He said: “We have a good platform to start with and are comfortable with what we have.

“We are not entirely happy with the performance but we are comfortable with where we are and what we have achieved in the short space of time we have had. It’s good and we know that it can be better.

“It’s not yet the best power unit or the best car, but we know how to improve and need to get our heads down, work hard and get to the top. We need to keep working, keep together and it will come good.”

What do you make of Renault’s 2016 livery? Do you expect the team to be successful in 2016? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below or head over to the JAonF1 Facebook page for more discussion.