Renault: We shouldn't be singled out over Ocon's F1 seat struggles
Renault insists it should not be singled out for blame over why Esteban Ocon has been left struggling to find a Formula 1 seat
Ocon is facing a year on the sidelines after a planned switch to Renault fell through at the last minute when the manufacturer opted to take Daniel Ricciardo instead.
It has since emerged that Mercedes, which manages Ocon's career, let other options fall away because it had a handshake agreement with Renault that a deal would be done.
Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul believes it is unfair that Renault be singled out for leaving Ocon high and dry.
"Esteban is currently in the middle of a situation of a very adverse set of circumstances, and I think Renault is only a small factor in all of that," said Abiteboul in an exclusive interview with Autosport.
"We are a factor, but I think we are only a small factor. And I think we should not exaggerate the fact that, again, that we are just a small factor.
"We should not forget the Mercedes decision on its driver line-up. We should not forget the Force India situation and the role that Mercedes has clearly played in the Force India situation."
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed last week that Renault had urged Mercedes not to pursue an opportunity Ocon had with McLaren so it could finalise its own deal.
It was that action, allied to the handshake, that left Wolff disappointed with how things had turned out.
"A ready contract and a handshake commitment was given to ensure that he [Ocon] would not go to the other team, and based on that handshake commitment the decision was taken," said Wolff.
"But eventually the 'agreement' that was made didn't happen.
"If among serious teams and corporations you agree on things, you like to trust that these things will stick."
Asked about the handshake with Mercedes, Abiteboul said: "I don't want to add a story to a story because then it keeps on going and going.
"I can see that Toto, maybe for the first time in Formula 1, is struggling with something, with the situation.
"I have never denied the fact that we have had lots of interest for Esteban and that we will continue in the future to have lots of interest for Esteban.
"What I can say is that no contract was obviously signed. Otherwise it would have been challenged by Toto.
"But for the rest let's, again, not exaggerate Renault's responsibility in the Esteban situation."
FIA formalises court date for Haas's F1 Italian GP exclusion appeal
The F1 drivers who risk disaster to achieve the impossible
Wehrlein hails "perfect" Porsche strategy, efficiency en route to Diriyah FE win
Pascal Wehrlein reckoned that Porsche's Diriyah E-Prix strategy and efficiency worked "perfectly" en route to claiming his second Formula E victory.
Diriyah E-Prix: Wehrlein holds off Dennis to charge to victory
Pascal Wehrlein made up eight places in the Diriyah E-Prix to take victory, holding off a late assault from Jake Dennis to take his second Formula E win.
GT3 Corvette Z06 unveiled for customer teams in 2024
Chevrolet has revealed the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R a year before it makes its competition debut at the 2024 Daytona 24 Hours.
Daytona 24: Cadillacs lead BMW in fourth practice
In the GTP teams’ penultimate practice ahead of the Daytona 24 Hours, Alexander Sims put Action Express Racing Cadillac on top from Ganassi, while Nick Yelloly lifted his BMW to third.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 ‘holiday’ races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
What Porsche social media frenzy says about F1’s manufacturer allure
Porsche whipped up a frenzy thanks to a cryptic social media post last week and, although it turned out to be a false alarm, it also highlighted why manufacturers remain such an important element in terms of the attraction that they bring to F1. It is little wonder that several other manufacturers are bidding for a slice of the action
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.