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Renault's Abiteboul laments disappointing weekend

Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul was hoping Monaco would provide an opportunity for points but the team left the Prinicpality empty handed unfortunately.

While Jolyon Palmer's drive to P11 was a season-best for the Brit, gearbox issues cut Nico Hulkenberg's efforts short after just 16 laps.

"Generally speaking it was a disappointing weekend at the end of this Monaco Grand Prix where we really wanted to continue our strong run of progression in the Championship," said Abiteboul.

"The team did a lot of work on Friday that allowed us to address a challenging situation after Thursday practice and to assure two respectable positons on the grid."

Team Talk - Sunday in Monaco

Renault was apparently aware beforehand of Hulkenberg's potential transmission troubles, but any subsequent change would have led to a grid penalty, a huge handicap at Monaco.

"Our analysis showed there was a risk with Nico’s gearbox, but we chose to keep it in the car to avoid a penalty if we made a change.

"To score points at our current level, you have to take risks. That is motor racing and today it didn’t pay off.

"It is frustrating because Nico had good pace. Joylon drove a good race and made no mistakes, which is good for his confidence.

"Now this confidence should see him qualify better in order to be in a position to score points on Sunday."

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Gallery: All the pictures from Sunday in Monaco

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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.