Renault admits illegal brake system was used before 2019

Renault has confessed that its now illegal braking system was introduced well before the start of the 2019 season, but the team was always convinced of the legitimacy of its technology.

Renault was excluded from the Japanese Grand Prix following a protest from rival midfield outfit Racing Point which contended that the brake-balance system on the French outfit's R.S.19 breached the FIA's technical regulations.

The governing body's investigation into the matter concluded that Renault's brake system did not violate the technical rules but did breach the sporting regulations as the device was deemed a driver aid by the FIA stewards.

Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul revealed that Enstone had never queried the FIA on the legality of its brake system, insisting that the concept's technology has been in use for a while.

• Renault set for major strategic review - F1 future in doubt

"Before that event of Suzuka, there was never such discussion or speculation regarding the legality of our system," explained Abiteboul.

"[Approaching the FIA] is not something we've done because we were absolutely convinced, as further demonstrated, that we were legal. And we were legal from a technical perspective."

However, Abiteboul did concede that the brake-balance system did constitute a driver aid, in the same way that "a number of things are a driver aid".

"At some point you need to accept there is an element of subjectivity [in the rules]," added the Frenchman.

"It's been used since so many years that we never thought it could be put into question until what happened presently."

Abiteboul suggested that the legality issue of its brake-balance system was rooted in the complexity of the rules which allow for grey areas to be exploited, hence the importance of clearing the manufacturer of any wrongdoing or suggestions of cheating, as the stewards did.

"We do not deny it is a form of driver aid," he said. "Not to make the car faster, but to reduce the workload of the drivers.

"It was always going to be a bit of a subjective assessment as to how far it is aiding the driver and whether it's acceptable or not.

"The stewards have judged it's not acceptable. So be it. For me it's harsh on the team. It's also even harsher on the drivers because I think it's a very poor recognition of what they are doing.

"It's shedding a negative light on what they are doing, the way they are performing in the car.

"We will see this weekend, we will have the competitiveness we have – it's independent of whatever braking system we have or not."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter