Renault to initiate promising update cycle in Bahrain

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Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul believes Renault's prospects will rise meaningfully from Bahrain when the team initiates a promising update cycle.

The team kicked off its season with alow-profile performance in Melbourne marked by a crash and brake issues on Jolyon Palmer's car, while Nico Hulkenberg came home just outside the points.

Abiteboul is very excited however on the development potential of the team's RS17.

"We have a team that is still growing and we have a lot to come,” Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

"But I am sure our direct competitors, like Toro Rosso and Force India, even though [in Australia] they had the upper hand, I am sure they are not sleeping and they will also be bringing updates.

"So it will be interesting to see who is bringing the most. I think clearly we have potential. We know what is in the pipeline, and it is exciting.

"And what we have in the pipeline, if we had it on the car now, it would allow us to be easily in the points."

Palmer asks Renault to check RS17 chassis

Abiteboul admitted however that Renault lacked valuable mileage, not only as a consequence of issues encountered during winter testing but also because of Palmer's mishap in Australia.

The limitations have taken a bit of a toll on its level of performance in an ultra-competitive series of mid-field runners.

"I think frankly, and I am not putting the blame on him, absolutely not, but things were starting with Jo when he went off,” said Abiteboul.

"From there we lost a car, so in general we were losing 50 percent of the capacity to learn the data about your own performance, doing high fuel run, low fuel run and so on and so forth.

"These things count so much now, in particular with these tyres that are new.

"It is a new Formula 1 in which everything has to go right, and it will be very difficult to make it up. Even if you are faster, it won’t be enough.

"We have a very competitive midfield, and we are in that midfield. Where in the midfield I am not sure, but we need to get everything perfect in order to score points."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.