Kevin Magnussen says Renault has "a good chance" of catching Mercedes now it has committed to being a constructor once again.
Mercedes has dominated F1 since the introduction of the V6 power unit regulations, failing to win only six races over the past two season. While Red Bull won three of those in 2014, the Renault-powered team struggled last season, putting strain on its relationship with the French manufacturer. Having considered quitting, Renault instead opted to invest in returning as a full constructor, with Magnussen joining Jolyon Palmer for 2016.
Magnussen has experience of the Renault, Honda and Mercedes power units under the new regulations, and when asked how they vary he replied: "They’re quite different, I feel they are quite different.
"The three engines I’ve driven have been very different, not only in power but also in drivability, sound, how they work, the control of the system, fairly different actually.
"It’s no secret that Mercedes has the strongest power unit at the moment, but certainly Renault has a good chance of catching up now."
And Magnussen also believes Renault has produced a solid car with which to improve this season.
“I think it’s a good baseline. It’s nice to drive, lacking downforce and power but it’s important to have a good baseline. We’re not trying to chase a different balance or different characteristic, we just need to add downforce. It’s a difficult job to add downforce without changing the characteristics of the car, so that’s what we need to work on.”
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