Renault Formula 1 team announces 2020 season launch date
Renault has revealed a February launch date for its 2020 Formula 1 campaign, in which it will be represented by Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon
The team will hold its official 2020 season presentation on February 12 at L'Atelier Renault on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, taking place one day after Ferrari is set to kick off F1's 'launch season'.
The upcoming campaign will mark the fifth season since Renault returned to F1 as a manufacturer team, taking over the Enstone-based Lotus outfit.
Renault finished ninth, sixth and fourth in its first three years, but had a disappointing 2019, despite the arrival of big-name new signing Ricciardo.
- Renault's F1 future
- Will it stay?
Instead of closing the gap to F1's leading teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, Renault was outperformed by its engine customer McLaren and only narrowly held on to fifth in the constructors' championship.
Nico Hulkenberg, who joined Renault on a three-year deal in 2017, has been replaced by Ocon for the coming season as the Mercedes protege returns to the F1 grid to partner Ricciardo after a year on the sidelines.
Renault, which recently split with its technical director Nick Chester, is yet to officially outline its team structure for 2020 but is known to have signed veteran tech chief Pat Fry, as well as ex-Williams head of aero Dirk de Beer.
F1's key pre-season dates so far
February 11 Ferrari launch
February 12 Renault launch presentation
February 13 McLaren launch
February 14 AlphaTauri launch
February 19-21 First pre-season test
February 26-28 Second pre-season test
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