Formula One news

Renault expects significant qualifying gain

Renault expects to make gains of several tenths of a second in Imola with the introduction of the RS26B V8 engine, the first major update to the team's power plant since the start of the season.

"It is a normal evolutionary step early in the development cycle: we have looked to gain performance by increasing the peak revs, and improving areas like cylinder filling and combustion," said Renault's head of trackside engine operations, Denis Chevrier. "In qualifying trim, we expect a gain of several tenths of a second and the final dyno tests before the Grand Prix will allow us to determine exactly how much additional performance is available during the race."

"We have designed the car and engine to win races - not just to get pole positions. From an engine point of view, that may mean we are able to run higher revs for longer, but overall, we have a car that gives the drivers the confidence to attack from the first lap to the last. We know that it is hard to gain a significant advantage in single lap performance under these regulations. On the other hand, the ability to run the car in a competitive configuration from the first laps to the last can be decisive."

Fisichella will use the new engine, while Alonso has to run a second race with his current unit, as per the regulations.

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