Denis Chevrier: “there’s no point in hiding from the truth”

Denis Chevrier, the engine manager at Renault, gives his point of view and analyzes the team’s qualifications with the diamond logo.

According to him, the team could have done better and overall, it’s still disappointing.

How do you view today’s qualifications?

« They were bad, there’s no point in denying it. What needs to be said is that the performances are very close behind the two best teams and that the lap at Interlagos is very short. This means that the gaps are even smaller than usual and that the slightest problem, a small driving error, or a difficult car to drive, can have serious consequences. We paid the price today, as one of our cars did not make it past Q1 and the other did not make it past Q2. »

In a way, isn’t the team paying the price for its decision to focus all its efforts on next season?

« It’s a possibility, but this choice was made after a long period of reflection and it suits us best. We are no longer troubled in the championship and we have eased up on the 2007 developments. BMW seems to have adopted the same approach. However, we know that in F1, when you don’t progress, you fall behind. Not being able to get past Q1 is a new situation for us, and it shows that we lack performance. Other teams, like Red Bull, continue to improve their car of the year and it shows. »

What are your ambitions for tomorrow’s race?

We are starting from far back on the grid, but I believe that we are not at the end of our surprises. Indeed, some teams seem to have difficulty using the softest compound on the new Interlagos surface when the track is hot. This will impact everyone’s strategies.

According to L’ING Renault F1 Team