Renault admits to tougher task at A1-Ring

The characteristics of the Spanish circuit, which place emphasis on a cars aerodynamics, suited the Renault car perfectly. However, the A1-Ring puts more focus on engine performance, and Renault's V10 is still believed to suffer a serious horsepower deficit to other leading teams.

"The A1-Ring is certainly different from Barcelona," Gascoyne said. "It features slower bends leading onto straights where the cars are flat-out. This favours the cars with better engine performance over those with better aerodynamics. It's going to be a difficult race as we have to expect that we are going to be less competitive than we were in Spain.

"Having said that, the engine development we have been working on should give us additional horsepower to work with, allowing us to boost performance."

An engine step initially planned for Monaco has been brought forward to Austria, where it will reap stronger reward, and the team has another step planned in Austria. Recently departed engine boss Jean-Jacques His, however, has claimed that differences of opinion with Flavio Briatore and other colleagues over future direction of the engine programme led to him leaving the company.