McLaren pleased with “efficient” Renault F1 partnership 

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has praised the working relationship between his team and new Formula 1 engine partner Renault following the opening week of pre-season testing. 

The Woking-based squad is hoping to move up F1’s pecking order under Renault power in 2018, having endured a disastrous three-year marriage to Honda overshadowed by a mix of poor reliability and engine performance.

Barring an early setback when Fernando Alonso suffered a wheel nut failure on the opening day, McLaren enjoyed its most successful week of winter testing in recent years with its new Renault-powered MCL33 challenger, and ended the final day second in the timesheets with Stoffel Vandoorne. 

When asked to compare the way Honda and Renault operate, Boullier replied: ’It’s difficult to compare. When you are one team, obviously, you have more people here with you or you might have people as well going to Japan. With Renault, they have a very efficient system to discuss with all of the teams so it’s very similar in some ways. 

“The setup is very similar in the number of people at the track, the way it works at the track, there’s not much differences. The coordination between Renault and all of the customers is actually well delivered, so it’s quite easy and efficient.”

Alonso and Vandoorne racked up over 400 engine-related grid penalties between them last year, and reliability will be a cause for concern for every team in 2018, following a controversial rule change to limit each driver to just three power units across the entire 21-race season.

Boullier revealed engine supplier Renault is currently considering the best way to cycle through its engines during the upcoming campaign, after the French manufacturer encountered a number of failures in 2017.

“Whatever will make us look better, more competitive, we will always do the best for us. We are not this stage yet. We need to see first where we are, assess our performance, we need to understand where we are. 

“It’s possible that actually it’s better to use an engine in the more aggressive mode and take the penalty at one race, it’s possible. It’s under consideration.”