Denis, Renault has a special relationship with Silverstone, having made its F1 debut here in 1977. Is it a special race for the team?
Denis Chevrier, Head of Trackside Engine Operations: Absolutely, this is always one of the big races of the year. Historically, this has been a key race in July, right in the heart of the decisive part of the championship. Unusually this year, we are going there a little earlier, but the championship is quite delicately poised at the moment.
In the 1990s, you worked as race engineer to Nigel Mansell among others, when he drove Renault-powered cars. Silverstone must have some special memories for you…
DC: Yes, I have some wonderful memories from this circuit. In 1991, for example, when Mansell stopped and brought Senna back to the pits sat on his sidepod after winning the race. Or in 1992, when Nigel was already comfortably on pole during qualifying – but demanded another set of new tyres to go out again, even though he knew nobody would beat his time. He did it just for the fun of it, for the pure pleasure of driving a Formula 1 car. And indeed, the incredible opening laps of the race, when he built a three second lead over his team-mate between Becketts and Woodcote on the opening lap. There was an incredible connection between Nigel and his fans, and that was his opportunity to perform in front of them, to really show what he could do. They were fantastic years at Silverstone.
Silverstone is also a circuit that has evolved significantly over the years…
DC: It is a place that is always changing with the times, always modernising. Back in the mid-80s, with the turbo engines, this was a place that asked for real courage. Some of that spirit was lost as they made changes, but we still had ‘landmark' corners like Becketts that separated the great drivers from the good. Now this year, some drivers will be taking corners like Copse flat out with the V8 engines. That is going to be impressive to watch, and in spirit, I think it makes Silverstone much more like the circuit it used to be twenty years ago.
How demanding a circuit is this for the V8 engines?
DC: We now spend over 70% of the lap at full throttle, and that's a big change compared to last year – one of the biggest we have seen between the V8 and V10 engines. That means there are a lot of high speed corners taken either flat out, or at almost full throttle, which makes life tough for the engines. It is a difficult circuit for the chassis too. We run high downforce levels here and with the high speeds, the car is under heavy loadings for much of the lap. Of course, it's also a big challenge for the drivers. They need to maintain their pace and rhythm during a long, demanding race.
What is your assessment of the championship position after the first seven races?
DC: Renault is clearly in the position everybody else wants to be. We have a lead in the championship and as each race goes and we maintain it, the advantage swings towards us. At the moment, every race is a pressure race for the people trying to catch us.
So, are thoughts already turning to managing that lead?
DC: Not at all – it would be suicidal to start racing defensively at this stage of the year. We cannot be secure with the position we are in at the moment, and we are still pushing and taking risks. We will approach Silverstone like every other race: pushing the limits of our performance, without endangering our reliability. We need to seize every opportunity that comes our way.
What do you believe has been the team's main strength so far this year?
DC: To my mind, the key factor has been the versatility of the R26 package. We have had one of the two quickest cars at every circuit we have raced on so far this year, and that consistency gives us the platform to achieve results. What's more, we have had the performance at the right times, in the strategic moments of the race. Silverstone is another race where the ability to call on maximum performance at key moments is likely to be crucial. I am sure we will see the race decided by very close margins; that's the kind of race we enjoy.
Finally, what is the health of the two V8 engines going into the Silverstone weekend?
DC: Giancarlo will be using a fresh engine, so there are no issues for him. Fernando's engine completed the Monaco weekend without any problems – and although Monaco poses some unusual challenges, it is not a demanding circuit in terms of pure engine performance. So Fernando's V8 is in good condition for the weekend ahead. The next three races are all demanding in terms of engine performance, and all the teams will need a reliable specification capable of withstanding the rigours of those races. We are confident that we have it in the RS26.
