Renault to start 2002 with old engine

The team formerly known as Benetton will not have its 2002 spec Renault engine until the San Marino Grand Prix on April 14 and according to team boss Flavio Briatore the existing power unit will be uprated for the first three flyaway grands prix.

Speculation that the French marque will be adopting a revolutionary electromagnetic valve system to do away with the engine's camshaft appear to be wide of the mark.

Although Renault is developing the system, the technology is thought not to be ready for 2002 and causes problems with too much weight at the top of the engine, which goes against the current trend of maintaining a low centre of gravity. The Enstone-based team pioneered its radical wide-angled V10 this year, which helps to keep the weight at the bottom of the block.

While there were reliability problems at the beginning of the year, Renault's technical director Mike Gascoyne is confident the team can make up lost ground over the winter.

"We were short on engine supplies earlier in the year because Renault were short on dyno testing," said Gascoyne. "Now we have a chance to catch up and the programme is being ramped up dramatically."