Renault aims for top three finish with new car, new driver in 2019

Before the 2018 season ended, the Renault F1 team announced that long-time Redbull driver Daniel Ricciardo would be joining them for the 2019 Formula 1 season alongside Nico Hulkenburg. Now with the 2019 season just around the corner, Ricciardo, together with Hulkenburg, have unveiled the 2019 team colors along with their challenger - the R.S. 19. 

The Renault F1 team will once again be running with the same black-yellow color scheme for the R.S. 19 this coming season. Compared to 2018 however, they did change the color pattern to give a more subtle but sharper design. The R.S. 19 is set to take its first laps during the upcoming pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.

“At Renault, we are passionate about motorsport. Our history in F1 has continued unbroken for more than 40 years. Formula 1 is a show, a spectacle, pure entertainment, but it is also the highest level in motorsport. A passion for Formula 1 is a metaphor for fighting spirit, determination, resilience but also progress thanks to the limitless innovation that inspires the sport,” said Jérôme Stoll, president of Renault Sport Racing. 

In 2018, the R.S. 18 managed to secure Renault their best finish since they first officially returned to the sport in 2016. The team, then composed of Carlos Sainz and Hulkenburg, managed to secure a fourth place finish in the constructor’s championship ahead of rival Haas. With Ricciardo now in driving for the team, they hope to be able to step up their performance in 2019 and even hopefully reach their goal of competing for the titles in 2020 and 2021.

“Renault has a massive history in motorsport, so to be part of the next step of their Formula 1 journey is an exciting challenge. I’m here to do a job on track and drive as fast as possible, but I would like to bring the team energy. I want to put a spring in everyone’s step because that’s part of my job and also my character. I aim to be able to get the team to work that extra bit harder, put in more effort and rally everyone together,” said Ricciardo. 

With Ricciardo now driving for Renault, it might not be long before the team could take the fight to Redbull, Ferrari and even Mercedes.