Renault Ready to ‘attack’ with Ricciardo

Executive director Marcin Budkowski claims Renault are set to go on the attack in 2019 after the ambitious signing of Daniel Ricciardo.

The Enstone-based Formula 1 outfit have had three seasons back in the sport as a team owner and ended 2018 in fourth place in the Constructors Championship standings behind the big three of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

However, Renault are looking to make another step forward in this coming season and that was highlighted by their successful coup in luring Australian driver, Ricciardo, to join them from Red Bull.

And Budkowski told Sky Sports News: “It’s a great buzz to have someone like Daniel who decides to join us, which shows a trust in the project, what we’re trying to achieve, and also a desire to be involved.

“The day he was announced here everybody was very, very excited and coupling him with Nico [Hulkenberg], who had a very strong season last season and the last couple of years, we have one of the best line-ups on the grid.”

Budkowski also revealed that Renault bosses put a six-year plan in place on their return to F1 and now they are at the halfway stage it is time to move up a gear, while also hoping the aerodynamic rule changes can help them close the gap on their rivals.

He added: “The first three years were three years of reconstruction and the next three years were labelled three years of attack. By attack it means going to fight with the top guys.

“So we have done the three years of reconstruction, we are there or thereabouts in terms of rebuilding the team both in terms of an infrastructure point of view and a human point of view with a big recruitment carried out.

“Now it’s three years where we are expecting to progressively catch the top three and go and challenge them for wins and, hopefully, championships.”