Next year's Renault in wind tunnel tests

Following his arrival at the Enstone-based team in 2001, technical director Mike Gascoyne took the decision to split Renault's development team in two, allowing one team to concentrate on developing the current car, while the other works on next year's machine. This approach has ensured that the R24 has already reached the wind tunnel phase of its development.

"Tim Densham spent 2002 hard at work on the R23, which he has also developed this season," explained Gascoyne. "In parallel, Mark Smith began work on R24, the design of which began last December. And then, while Mark is developing the new car in 2004, Tim will begin the process again with R25."

Gascoyne is hoping to build on the strengths of Renault's current car, which has guided the team to fifth in the constructor's championship this season. "The R23 is already very aerodynamically efficient," he added. "With the R24, we hope to make another step forward. The data we have already collected is encouraging, and there are still six months available to hone the project. We are pushing ahead at full speed."