McLaren happy with "smooth" integration of Renault power unit

  • Published on 23 Dec 2017 16:20
  • comments 12
  • By: Fergal Walsh

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has expressed delight over the team's integration of the Renault power unit. In September, the Woking-based squad announced that it would be separating from Honda at the end of the season.

After three year's of difficult results, McLaren called it time with the Japanese manufacturer and struck a deal with Renault. There were initial worries over the time that would be lost due to the transition, with the team believing it would set them back two weeks.

However, Boullier says that the Renault crossover has been smooth, with the primary focus now being on finding performance: "It went very smoothly," Boullier told RACER. "We maybe took a hit of two weeks at the most, but that’s very small and recoverable.

"[The challenge of integration] is going to be no bigger than it was with Honda. Renault is used to working with several teams, so they are very well organized for this and to be honest with you, it’s done today. All the engine and chassis designs are well integrated and now it’s just about car performance development."

That's just a stock picture.

  • 1
  • Dec 26 2017 - 13:47

Replies (12)

Login to reply
  • Barron

    Posts: 625

    Are you serious? ( is he serious?) No, seriously, it’s never going to be as easy as that Eric. Do you take us for fools? No, please don’t answer that..?...

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2017 - 16:33
    • Lets hope he is correct. I do however suspect he is suffering from a case of the "McLaren boss brain parasite".

      • + 0
      • Dec 23 2017 - 17:54
    • Since it's already done, he knows better than you how hard or easy it was.

      • + 0
      • Dec 26 2017 - 13:48
  • Good news for them. It'll be interesting to see if we'll be able to spot the size difference between the Honda and the Renault units.

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2017 - 16:34
  • It's just one bad decision after another. It will be a long time until we see McLaren on the podium again

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2017 - 19:01
  • f1ski

    Posts: 726

    i see they still have honda on their test mule!!!

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2017 - 21:36
    • That's just a stock picture.

      • + 1
      • Dec 26 2017 - 13:47
  • boudy

    Posts: 1,168

    ... We will see. The two weeks figure seems low. When redbull talked about getting an Mercedes pu they stated way more time. Considering that the Renault is the biggest size engine they must have had issues with redesigning. Would be a nightmare if Toro Rosso are on the same level.

    • + 0
    • Dec 23 2017 - 23:49
    • It all depends on how far you've come on various components. While Toro Rosso already had begun to design their chassis around the Renault package, Im sure McLaren had intentionally left that bit open, in case a switch would come around, and them vetoing the sharkfin implies that they didnt have one on their 2018 car to begin with, meaning they saved time on that bit aswell. But despite what Boullier is saying two weeks is alot of time, especially in F1.

      • + 0
      • Dec 25 2017 - 09:31
  • ringo

    Posts: 3,633

    you can fit everything but the balance always came out when you race for real...
    if you se RB with there data in simulation they had hard time first 6 month even the Engine also didnt give perfomance :)

    • + 0
    • Dec 24 2017 - 01:21
  • Bhurt

    Posts: 320

    Fake news.

    • + 0
    • Dec 24 2017 - 16:43
    • boudy

      Posts: 1,168

      Actually not a lot was made about the banning of the shark-fin. I makes sense for McLaren to de-stable the aero design around the back of the car since they would have had to redesign this anyway because of the change in PU. By forcing the issue of removal they force the other teams to redesign. And that makes absolute sense in a competitive world as F1.

      • + 1
      • Dec 28 2017 - 10:14

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar