Hamilton, Ricciardo… The drivers dazzled by the R25
It's the attraction of this Abu Dhabi Grand Prix! Racing for the first time since 2006, the Renault R25 dazzled the major players in the discipline. With a touch of nostalgia...
Everyone was on the pit wall to watch the Renault R25 go by during its various runs with its designated driver, Fernando Alonso. And the least that can be said is that the wonder was palpable!
The current Renault driver, Daniel Ricciardo, was obviously present and was impressed both by the car and its Spanish driver.
“I watched the lap on the onboard camera and it was pretty cool,” said the Australian. “I suppose anyone who thinks Fernando is a bit too old is wrong, that’s not the case. I think this guy only knows one speed, he’s so fast! Even on the curbs, he was attacking full on.”
Even though the R25, which is fifteen years older than the current single-seaters, was factually slower, the sensation was entirely different.
« I didn’t have a stopwatch, but I know for sure he was going much slower than us. But he looked faster because it seemed more impressive and that’s the effect of the V10. » continues the future McLaren driver.
Ricciardo claims that the V10 is partly the wow factor of the car.
« The V10 screams. It has the wow factor. It also has the fear factor. I think any rookie who jumps into a V10 is much more intimidated than jumping into a V6.
« I remember that I looked at dad and we had goosebumps! »
Upon hearing the blue and yellow car again, the Australian was suddenly transported back to his childhood.
« I remember that I still have a photo memory of my arrival in Melbourne, at Albert Park, as a child with my father. I remember we got out of the taxi to pick up our suitcase upon arriving at the hotel, and I could hear the F1 cars from the track… The echo came into the city, and I remember I looked at dad, we looked at each other, and we had goosebumps. So there was that wow factor. » recounts Ricciardo.
“Honey Badger” concludes that the sound should provide a lot of emotions, especially among young fans. Something that has unfortunately disappeared currently.
The sound creates an atmosphere. If you go to a concert or a live festival, it’s for the atmosphere and often also for the volume. People pay for that. They’re excited for it, he claims. And speaking of my first time in an F1 car, it was only a V8, but when the mechanic starts it at the back, and you hear that roar… it’s scary. So, I think that for young kids who are coming, they’re probably missing that kind of wow, that fear, at the start.
Hamilton ecstatic about the V10 sound during his interview
Answering questions about the qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton was surprised by the sound of the V10 coming from Alonso’s Renault.
Wow, this sound is so good…I love this sound! the seven-time world champion said.
— Out of Context Mercedes (@NoContextMerc) December 12, 2020
Find here our article entirely dedicated to the French racing car, including a bonus video of the lap driven on the Yas Marina circuit.
