Renault Sport F1 on upcoming German GP

Rémi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations:
Hockenheim will be the fourth power track in a row after Canada, Silverstone and Austria. Approximately 65% of the lap is spent at full throttle thanks to the four long straights, the longest of which is over 1km long. The ICE, turbo and MGU-H will therefore be under enormous pressure, particularly since drivers will reach over 290kph on three occasions (or over 300kph on two occasions) during the first two thirds of the lap.

Unlike Silverstone, however, the straights are linked by medium to low speed corners such as the Hairpin and the old Stadium complex. Energy recovery under braking is therefore relatively easy, which is good news as far as carbon fuel consumption is concerned.

With such large loads going through every part of the Power Unit, everything will get very hot. The expected high ambient temperatures will only compound this challenge. To prevent against any potential overheating issues we’ll run a different cooling configuration and use the PU elements in a slightly different way. For example, we may run a ‘mix and match’ system using components at different stages in their life cycle. This race will also be a good warm up for the very hot temperatures we’ll see in Hungary just a week after.

We’re going to Hockenheim in a good frame of mind. We aim to be on the form we showed in Canada and Silverstone. Our confidence is increased by the new software tested last week in Silverstone and fuel from Total that should bring additional performance per lap.

News from Total
Total has developed a cooling liquid specifically for Renault Sport F1. Since each car will have just five Power Units season, reliability is a priority and it is therefore essential to ensure optimal operation of the cooling system, particularly around the combustion chamber walls and the turbo bearing. The formulation of this product helps prevent corrosion of the special alloys used in the manufacture of certain parts of the Energy F1-2014. It also reduces cavitation, which can be a very destructive phenomenon.

Renault Sport F1