Renault Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul says the Monaco Grand Prix exposed Renault’s weaknesses, as Carlos Sainz Jr. struggled with tyre degradation.
Sainz Jr. started from eighth position but slipped back and allowed team-mate Nico Hulkenberg to pass, with the German running the alternative Ultrasoft/Hypersoft strategy.
Hulkenberg went on to finish eighth while Sainz Jr. rounded out the top 10, moving back into the points courtesy of Fernando Alonso’s retirement.
Alonso’s exit also enhanced Renault’s grip on fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, with the marque now six points clear of nearest rival McLaren.
“The overall result is good; two cars in the points and a good cushion in fourth in the championship, but a race like this one exposes more of our weaknesses,” said Abiteboul.
“Carlos did his best with the strategy, but experienced more severe tyre degradation than expected on his set of Ultrasofts.
“We have to thank him for playing the team game and helping us with the result.
“Nico’s first tyres came back to life so we could implement the strategy that we had planned and he could secure eighth.
“Despite the fact it is a much better result than last year in Monaco, we were not as competitive as recent races and more work needs to be done on tyre management and understanding, as in the current situation we are almost better to start P11 and have a free tyre choice than to start within the first ten with the qualifying tyres.
“Clearly some teams ahead of us manage to make it work, so it is possible.”
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