Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul has said that the arrival of Fernando Alonso at the French works team next season means they will have “no excuses” not to perform.
“We are prepared for it. I expect our car to look even better next year,” Abiteboul said when asked by Auto Motor und Sport if the team is ready to handle Alonso’s often demanding and difficult to manage personality.
READ: F1 Downforce Levels May End Up Unchanged In 2021 – Horner
“If Fernando sees the progress, it will awaken the racer in him. Where we certainly need to improve is the execution on the track. From Fernando we know that he doesn’t make mistakes, so we have no excuses,” he added.
Fernando Alonso won both of his F1 titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, and he is gambling on them making a big step forward when the new regulations come into effect in 2022.
The French works team will be rebranded Alpine next year but it will still utilise the same facilities and personnel, and it will continue to have the financial clout of Renault behind it.
In the same interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Abiteboul spoke highly of Mclaren-bound Daniel Ricciardo and said his team-mate, who will stay with the team next season, needs to set “realistic” goals for himself.
“Daniel is a very strong driver. You don’t have to explain that to anyone.
“He has become even stronger this year. Because the car has got better and the cooperation with the engineers has improved. The rear of the car has become more stable and that gives Daniel more confidence.
“Esteban [Ocon] is slowly coming back after a one-year break. But he is not as far away from Daniel as it might seem. He has to accept that Daniel is a real benchmark and he has to set himself realistic goals.
“Okay, he made a mistake in qualifying at Mugello. But I forgive him for that. It shows me that he is attacking, that he wants more. I prefer that to a driver who simply accepts the status quo and the hierarchy in the team.
“I think the end of the season will still be a hot battle between our two drivers.”
Subscribe to Formula1News.co.uk’s Google News feed for the latest F1 news
Enjoyed reading this article? Consider sharing it: