Renault to Stick with Radical Engine Design in 2003

Renault will persist with their revolutionary wide vee-angle design next year despite concerns that the concept will be more difficult to run to the distances required by new regulations which will be introduced in 2004.

Jean Jacques His, the Formula One team's French managing director, confirmed in the Nurburgring paddock on Saturday that a brand new engine will be introduced next season.

And he revealed that despite initial concerns over its long-term reliability, the team are confident enough in their design to persist with it in 2003 and beyond.

"We have a brand new engine next year but we will remain with the same philosophy," said His. "What we have begun with this engine and the previous engine that was used in 2001 will be used for the new design."

His revealed that the new design will be ready for testing on the team dynos in Renault's Viry-Chatillon factory in October this year and he promised a significantly developed power unit which should develop a significant increase in power.

"It is a big evolution because we have learned a lot from this special build with light-weight design and wide vee-angle," he said. "We have paid a lot for that on difficulties and we still have some difficulties.

"This wide vee-angle is nonsense for an engine man. You just get problems. It is just decided for the chassis performance. This vee-angle is positive for performance on the chassis side, so we do that."

His also revealed that the engine manufacturers will be given more detailed plans for the future regulations early next month and admitted that the degree of change could affect Renault's plans.

Although there has been a definition that only one engine will be allowed per car at each Grand Prix weekend from 2004, it is not yet decided whether that weekend will consist of two or three days.

That could make a difference of around 200 kilometres of running and although His remains confident the engine is tough enough to cope, he admitted his design team will have to be ready to ditch the design if it becomes no longer feasible.

"If ever something changes design rules for the engine we have to cope with that and we have to change it," he said. "It is more difficult to have this engine working properly for a long durability but we are now in the position to have it working in this kind of change because we have the experience."