Renault says bad days were key to 2020 progress
Renault says its most difficult weekend last year was key for delivering the answers that helped it make rapid progress over the second half of the Formula 1 season.
The French car manufacturer took three podiums last year en route to a fifth place finish in the constructors' championship.
But the highlights over the second part of the campaign were in contrast to some difficult races early on, like the Spanish Grand Prix, where neither Daniel Ricciardo nor Esteban Ocon finished in the points.
Reflecting on how the team was able to make such a step forward after the early events, Renault chassis technical director Pat Fry said that really important knowledge was gained on the back of its biggest struggle.
"Barcelona was, I think up until Turkey, our worst race of the season," explained Fry.
"But while it was a bad weekend for us, when we actually went through and looked at it, and tried to understand it from analysing that poor performance, you actually end up working out what you need to do.
"So yes it was disappointing, but I think we learned a lot from that on how we should optimise the package we've got.
"By Spa, and I think that medium downforce level is classically a level that Renault works well at with, that knowledge we have in the setup and a few developments that have been coming through, meant it was quite reasonable for us."
One of the key moments that Ricciardo highlighted about Renault's 2020 campaign was the setup breakthrough that he found at the second Silverstone race.
Tests during Friday's free practice sessions helped unlock a platform that the Australian felt very comfortable with, and that helped Renault unlock more gains over the remainder of the year.
Fry has played down the significance of that moment though, as he suggested the season was more about building up momentum.
Asked about Ricciardo's talk of a setup breakthrough, Fry said: "I'm clearly not going to tell you exactly what it was, but I think our understanding has been improving on how to set the car up.
"I was surprised by the size of his comments to be completely honest. It was clearly enough to get his attention, but I think there was still quite a lot more of performance we needed to find.
"It's like all these things: the devil's in the detail, isn't it? But it certainly helped our qualifying at the second Silverstone. I think it was the first time we were looking reasonably strong in qualifying, although the race was a little bit more of a challenge."
Related video
Previous article
Stroll: 2020 results answered own questions over F1 capability
Next article
F1 team boss and Ron Dennis backer Tony Vlassopulos dies
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Teams | Renault F1 Team |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Sebastian Vettel explains why Aston Martin
Aston Martin AMR21 Unveiling
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
