Alain Prost: Renault reliability issues 'unavoidable'

Renault

Prost: Renault reliability issues 'unavoidable'

The former champion isn't overreacting to their poor start.

Martin Macdonald

Saturday 20 April 2019 12:12

Four-time Formula 1 champion and Renault advisor Alain Prost is not too concerned with the team’s abject start to the 2019 season as he believes their current reliability issues are “unavoidable”, while backing Daniel Ricciardo to get back to his best.

Between Ricciardo and team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, Renault have had four retirements over the three races in Australia, Bahrain, and China so far, suffering reported MGU-K issues.

Hulkenberg expecting 'trouble' from RicciardoRead more

Prost thinks the problems can’t be avoided at the moment.

"We know we're pretty close to the limit right now," Prost told Sky Sports F1.

"Reliability problems are sometimes unavoidable, it's part of the game and we have to accept that. We will once again be one of the best engines in Formula One.

"Nobody talks about it, but we have the data, we'll do it step by step and we'll make it.”

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During the summer, Ricciardo made the shock move from Red Bull to Renault, but is yet to fully hit the ground running. Prost has defended the Australian, though, saying it takes time to acclimatise to a new team.

“It is inevitable that such things appear - I told him so,” Prost added.

“Red Bull's philosophy is quite special, and it's difficult to be in a new team.”

Despite their four retirements, Renault are currently ‘best of the rest’ behind Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull in fourth place in the 2019 constructor’s championship.

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