“Formula 1 exit would have been easy”- F1 legend and Renault advisor on turbulent 2020 for French team

“Formula 1 exit would have been easy”- F1 legend and advisor to Renault- Alain Prost on team’s situation amidst harsh 2020.

Renault had improved performances on the track, but off the grid, they certainly had complications, affecting the French Formula 1 team’s future.

Late in 2019, then-interim CEO Clotilde Delbos announced a review into the French manufacturer’s activities, creating uncertainty in the team over their future in the sport. They also lost an important customer in McLaren to Mercedes this year.

Talking about the major financial strain and internal predicaments, Renault’s advisor Alain Prost believes that its exit from F1 would have been easier.

“If something changes at the top level, which has happened, then a Formula 1 exit would have been easy,” Prost, who an advisor to the team, told Le Figaro, as per the Inside Racing.

However, Renault’s hierarchy didn’t opt to take the exit door and rather rebranded the team under the name of Alpine, which will be competing in F1 from 2021, “Instead, we have a strategy based around the Alpine brand.” Prost added.

“Renault wants to use Formula 1 as a marketing and image tool, and now, apart from Ferrari, we are the only manufacturer to have a clearly defined medium and long-term programme. That has not always been the case with Renault in the past.”

Didn’t expect 2020 to go well

Seeing their performances in 2019, nobody expected Renault to imprint their impact in 2020. Still, they managed to grab three podiums, and now with Fernando Alonso coming in, they target short term benefits in the next two years.

“We didn’t expect it to go so well,” Prost admitted. “The most interesting thing is the fact all the little things we adjusted on the car worked well.

“This gives us hope for the future and allows us to make a plan for the next two years. We can look ahead a little more calmly,” said Prost.

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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