Renault's Abiteboul hails 'fantastic' Barcelona result

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Renault secured in Barcelona its best ever F1 result since its return as a works team, a performance which overjoyed Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul.

After a demon start by Nico Hulkenberg which saw the German jump from P13 on the grid to P7 on the opening lap, a steady drive coupled with flawless pit stop timing and execution saw Renault extract the most from the Spanish Grans Prix.

"A fantastic race result after a difficult qualifying session," enthused Abiteboul.

"It goes to show, you should never let your head go down and you should always maximise every opportunity.

"Nico took advantage of a great start, the pit crew delivered exactly what was required during the race and also a bit of luck fell our way.

"We showed good execution of strategy and pit stops and our race pace was better than that of our competitors, Haas, Williams and Toro Rosso. "

Hulkenberg: 'We were there at every opportunity!'

Renault is undoubtedly trending higher with each passing race and slowly but surely gaining ground in F1's tight mid-field battle. But more porgress is necessary says the French manager.

"It is positive that we continue to improve in these areas, however we still have to work hard to understand how to maximise the performance of the R.S.17

"This weekend was rather unusual for us because our race pace was better than our qualifying performance.

"For Jolyon it was a tough Grand Prix and we are dedicated to understanding what we can do to improve this.

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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.