Renault sees 2018 as third and final year of construction phase

Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul says 2018 is seen as the works team's third and final year of its construction phase before racing on to the next level, the winning stage.

Following its buy-out of Lotus at the end of 2015, Renault embarked on a multi-year plan to return to success as a works team in Grand Prix racing.

The first stage of its projection entailed the building of a foundation, a process which Abiteboul sees reaching its conclusion in 2018 before Renault moves on to more ambitious targets.

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"2017 was a year of progression and 2018 has to be the same, another year of progression, another year of construction," says the French manager.

"By the end of the year we want to say the construction phase is over, it was a three-year phase from 2016 to 2018, and now the next phase will be about attacking the top teams.

"We need to accept that we can’t be perfect everywhere and things take time but at the same time we have to show we are in the right trajectory."

As an engine supplier to two high profile teams, Red Bull Racing and McLaren, Renault's presence looms large in Formula 1.

But Abiteboul believes that the manufacturer's new partnership with McLaren, a team viewed as a clear benchmark for Renault's works effort, will ultimately contribute to the outfit's work in progress and to its world championship ambitions.

"It is a great responsibility but also a great opportunity as I anticipate we’ll be compared to McLaren.

"But it is an opportunity to benchmark our car and drivers to McLaren and assess the progress of the organisation. Frankly, working with the best is also an opportunity."

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