Nick Heidfeld: Renault still undecided on exhaust system for German Grand Prix – Formula 1
Renault’s Formula 1 driver Nick Heidfeld has stated that the team is still undecided on the car’s exhaust positioning for the German Grand Prix of the 2011 Formula 1 season.
Heidfeld stated that Renault have tried the rearward exhaust system in the practice session of the German GP but the setup is not fully sitting with the structure of the car. The German added that although the rearward exhaust has shown some improvement
in the car but the team still needs to do some work on it before the race.
The German stated, “We can see a lot of potential with it, but it is not working perfectly at the moment. There is a lot of work to do. The car definitely feels different with it, and it is quite a big change from what we had before. We have to work quite
a bit on it, so we will look at the data later and then see what we do.”
Renault team brought the innovative forward exhaust system for the 2011 Formula 1 season which did pay off in the first part of the season as the team secured two podium positions in the opening two races of the season.
Renault developed their car around the blown diffuser technology and after the International Automobile Federation (FIA) decided to clampdown the technology for the Silverstone Grand Prix, Renault suffered the most.
They decided to move to rearward exhaust system for the rest of the season and also for the 2012 season but after the FIA allowed the teams to use the blown diffuser for the 2011 season, Renault found themselves in the middle of nowhere with the solution.
Renault are currently trying out the rearward exhaust system of the Red Bull team but it will be interesting to see what the team finalises for the qualifiers and the race day on July 24, 2011.
The final practice session of the 2011 German Grand Prix will be contested on Saturday before the qualifiers on July 23, 2011.
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