Off the wire
• Morocco sets up friendship group with China  • 340 die at sea in attempt to reach European shores this year: IOM  • U.S. DHS issues detailed plan to crack down on illegal immigrants  • Caen take crucial points against Nancy in rearranged Ligue 1 match  • Zambia sees improved electricity generation  • MEPs push for muscling up eurozone  • Macedonia's railway suspended due to protests  • Oil prices rise on high OPEC compliance with cuts  • AU deeply concerned over recent fighting in South Sudan  • Indian vice president calls for enhanced trade with Rwanda  
You are here: 　 Home

Renault unveil new Formula One car, targeting at fifth

Xinhua, February 22, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Renault Formula One team have set their target at the fifth position up from ninth one year earlier, as they launched their new car for the 2017 season on Tuesday.

Four-time world champion Alain Prost joined the team as a special advisor.

The yellow-and-black R.S.17 is expected to boost the team's performance in the upcoming season, which will kick off in Australia late in March.

"The year of 2017 will be a crucial one," said Renault SportRacing chairman Jerome Stoll, referring to the second car produced since Renault returned to F1 as a works team.

After finishing an acquisition to struggling Lotus late in 2015, Renault were believed to have inherited a car developed by Lotus. R.S.17 was regarded as the first real Renault Formula 1 car in modern era, according to team chief technical officer Bob Bell.

"It's the first time that the car has been developed by us. We expect to finish fifth at the end," added Stoll.

Nico Huelkenberg, joining from Force India, will partner with Jolyon Palmer in competing for Renault.

As next Monday's first round of testing in Barcelona approached, F1 teams began to unveil their vehicles for the new season, with team Sauber the first to unveil their car on Monday. Endit