Renault used braking system before Suzuka

Michelle Foster
Renault used braking system 'before' Suzuka

Renault not only used their braking system before the Japanese Grand Prix but even before this season, revealed managing director Cyril Abiteboul.

Last time out in Japan, Racing Point protested Renault, claiming they were running a pre-set brake balancing system that worked dependent on where the car was out on track.

The FIA investigated the claims and, while they did not agree with Racing Point, they did rule that the system Renault ran in Japan was a driver aid and therefore illegal.

Renault were disqualified from the Suzuka results.

MD Abiteboul has been left a bit confused by the entire matter as he revealed that system has been in place for some time, even used during the 2018 season.

“It’s a technology that’s been used for a while,” he explained to Motorsport.com.

“Another party [Racing Point] has decided to ask for an opinion.

“The normal course would have been to ask the FIA to issue a technical directive, or to engage a discussion with us directly, not in the context of a race, not through the stewards.

“In that case we could have the opportunity to change.

“Before that event of Suzuka, there was never such discussion or speculation regarding the legality of our system.

“[Approaching the FIA] is not something we’ve done because we were absolutely convinced, as further demonstrated, that we were legal. And we were legal from a technical perspective.”

Asked how long Renault has been using the system, he replied: “I don’t want to go into details but it’s not from this season. It’s from before.”

He does, however, concede that the Renault system is a driver aid but added: “But a number of things are a driver aid.

“At some point you need to accept there is an element of subjectivity [in the rules].

“It’s been used since so many years that we never thought it could be put into question until what happened presently.”

Follow all the action from the Mexican Grand Prix with the PlanetF1 live centre