Having shown stunning qualifying pace through Nico Hulkenburg in the opening rounds, Renault worked extensively on race pace during the post-race Bahrain test session.
The R.S.17 is imbalanced on corner entry, which is masked by fresh tyres and a light fuel load. Over the course of a race distance the car’s balance becomes more of a problem as it dents the driver’s confidence which translates into slower laptimes.
During the post-Bahrain test a revised front-wing (below) was successfully trialled and made it onto the car for the Russian Grand Prix.
The wing’s core concept and features remain, with the upper flaps divided into three elements to improve airflow consistency. It is hoped that these changes will make the car more predictable on turn-in and thus aid the driveability over a longer stint.
Further changes around the front of the car were also present for Sochi. Renault’s lack of investment in recent times has meant that they have been behind the curve in some key areas of the car’s design, including the under-chassis turning vanes that hang below the front bulkhead and nose.
A more advanced twin-element arrangement has replaced the basic pair of vanes for Russia which, in combination with a larger S-duct inlet directly ahead, aim to clean up and manipulate airflow underneath the car.
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