Renault says that it will not be using a prototype engine design conceived by power guru and consultant Mario Ilien.
Renault hired Ilien's engineering company earlier this year, seeking input from the renowned engine designer in a bid to improve the performance of its own power unit.
But Renault F1's director Cyril Abiteboul now says that the French manufacturer believes the in-house improvements it has in store have been favored to provide the unit with a performance boost, although he did not rule out seeking Ilien's ideas in the future.
“I think collaboration is good,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com. “It is good to work with people outside, because there is no way you can improve inside if you do not put yourself in competition but also in partnership with people that are outside. So first – it is good to get an external look, and support and feedback."
"But right now in our current engine, or the engine that is coming, there is nothing which is coming from Ilmor."
Abiteboul made clear the fact that the decision was by no means a denial of Mario Ilien's work, but that a comprehensive review of the Swiss engineer's findings did not justify their inclusion at this stage into Renault's ongoing program.
"It is not to say there won't be anything in the future, or that it has not had a positive influence on what we will be doing at the end of this season. What I am saying is that for the time being, there is nothing proven which will be used in the engine that we will be using.”
Renault announced earlier this month that it would be exploiting the full allocation of its development tokens in the form of one massive upgrade, although the timing of the evolution has yet to be determined.
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