Renault has unveiled its black-and-yellow RS.17, which will be raced by Nico Hülkenberg and Jolyon Palmer in Formula 1 this season, during a ceremony in London’s Royal Horticultural Hall on Tuesday.
Renault returned to Formula 1 as a manufacturer team last year but struggled as it ramped up progress at its Enstone factory, following years of financial constraints under the Lotus guise.
Renault managed only three top 10 finishes across the course of the campaign and placed ninth in the constructors’ championship, with newly-recruited team boss Frédéric Vasseur standing down.
For 2017, Renault has signed Hülkenberg, who has spent six years racing with Williams, Sauber and Force India, to partner sophomore driver Palmer.
“The objective is very simple, since we have for the first time a car developed by us, we expect to be fifth in the championship,” said Renault chief Jérôme Stoll.
“We have the team, we have the drivers, we have the partners [to achieve it].”
The RS.17, which features a thumb nose, 'shark fin', and revised livery, will take to the track for the first time on Monday, when pre-season testing begins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Renault has also promoted Sergey Sirotkin to the role of reserve driver, with the Russian youngster set to participate in Friday sessions at Grands Prix thiss eason.
Renault is the third team to launch its 2017 Formula 1 car, after images were released from Williams and Sauber respectively.
Force India will be the next outfit to unveil its new machine, with a launch taking place at Silverstone on Wednesday.
