Renault unable to close gap to Mercedes or Ferrari

Ferrari have developed their power unit at a rate that their rivals are unable to keep pace with. Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul is the latest individual on the Formula 1 grid to highlight the Scuderia's progress in the power stakes in 2018.

Red Bull team principal and Mercedes' world drivers' champion Lewis Hamilton have both recently stated that Ferrari are now estimated to possess F1's most powerful engine, ending the Silver Arrows' hold over their rivals.

Renault's inability to keep pace with either Mercedes or Ferrari has prompted Red Bull to quit as a customer, in favour of a risky deal with Honda from 2019.

And Abiteboul says that, despite all of the hard work being down at Renault's Viry factory, they have simply been unable to keep up.

"I'm just impressed by our competitors," Abiteboul told Motorsport.

"I'm impressed by what we are doing, but I'm also impressed by what they are doing, because it's a fact that the gap is not really reducing. What we are doing is just allowing us to keep that gap.

"I do think Ferrari in particular has made an important step for the past few races, with its works team and also its customer teams. It's very visible, and we have to factor that into what we are doing, and to the priorities that we put.

"We have to keep on delivering what we're supposed to deliver on power."