Following on from a spectacular launch in Amsterdam on January 24 the ING Renault F1 Team are looking forward to their first race at the 2007 ING Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday, March 18.

The ING Renault F1 Team’s 2007 challenger has been christened R27. The new car represents an evolution of the design philosophy that won world championship success in 2005 and 2006.

Every part of the car has been designed to meet demanding performance criteria that will enable the team to maintain its front-running performance. The aerodynamic packaging represents a further step forward over its predecessor in terms of overall efficiency, and innovative solutions have been employed in a number of areas to achieve improved performance under stable technical regulations.

The car also features a new ‘instantaneous gearchange’ seven-speed gearbox, and has been designed with maximum set-up flexibility in order that its dynamic characteristics can be tuned to suit the Bridgestone Potenza tyres that will be used by every team in 2007.

The new car will be powered by the 2.4L V8 RS27 engine, which has been designed to the requirements of the engine homologation regulations which will be in force for 2007 and beyond. Conceived to limit expenditure on engine development, these rules specify that no performance improvements can be made to the engine relative to the definitive specification that will be submitted to the FIA by 1 March 2007.

The engine is based on the RS26 V8 engine that competed in the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix last season, and has been re-tuned in line with modifications permitted by the regulations for the new maximum rev limit of 19,000 rpm that will be imposed on all competitors.

“Our work for 2007 has been very different to previous years,” revealed the team’s Deputy Managing Director (Engine), Rob White. “Rather than designing a new engine, as we have done every season since 2001, the regulations have limited our work to optimising how the engine operates within the new 19,000 rpm rev limit. Our development work has been conducted within the framework of the new rules and although the engine will be called RS27, it contains just 10% new parts – compared to over 95% in previous years. However, it remains one of the most advanced competition engines in the world, operating in an extreme environment, with tiny margins for error. As always, our goal will be to achieve the only acceptable objective for a topline Formula 1 engine: zero-defect reliability. We have worked hard to blend this with competitive performance for the season ahead.”

The RS27 engine will also equip the cars of Red Bull Racing during the 2007 season, under the terms of a new engine supply agreement. The agreement specifies that both teams will use the same specification of engine, and a team of Renault F1 Team engineers will provide trackside support to Red Bull Racing. The new agreement marks the continuation of a tradition that began in 1983, and which has seen customer Renault engines win 80 Grands Prix since that time.

Pre-Season Testing

The R27 completed its first shakedown in Jerez on 16 January, and the team tested at the same circuit from 17-19 January with two brand new chassis – a first for the team, that provides a decisive advantage in allowing both race drivers to accumulate maximum mileage in the R27 before the opening race of the season. The team completed over 2000 km in testing, with only minor early-life reliability problems.

Driver Line-Up

For Giancarlo Fisichella, 2007 will be his third year with the team – and the opportunity to deliver on the promise glimpsed during the previous two seasons. Having been an integral part of the team’s championship successes in 2005 and 2006, the Italian will aim to add racewinning consistency to his natural speed in order to become a regular contender at the front of the field. An unquestionable asset will be his extensive Formula 1 experience, as he will be the third most-experienced driver in the field in 2007.

“The spirit of the team is strong after two fantastic seasons, and we are feeling optimistic,” explained the Italian. “The team has shown its confidence in me for the new season, and I am determined to repay that in the best way possible, out on track. The team knows how to design winning cars capable of fighting for the championship. That means there is a fantastic opportunity for me this year, and I am determined to make the most of it.”

Alongside Fisichella will be new team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, one of the brightest young talents in Formula 1. The Finn has completed over 30,000 km in testing during recent seasons, and has proved his racing credentials as a member of the Renault Driver Development programme since 2002. The team has now offered him the rare opportunity to make his Formula 1 debut in a championship-winning team.

“I am very excited about the new season,” commented the Finn. “But I know that so far, I have achieved nothing at all. I pushed myself very hard last year in testing, to show the team that I was capable of doing the job. They had faith in me, and now it is my turn to deliver on that promise. It is a big privilege for a rookie driver to start his career in a race-winning car, and I am focused on doing it justice. This will be a season where I have a lot to learn, and I need to keep mistakes to a minimum. There will be pressure, but that will come from me, because I always drive myself to improve in every area. Overall, I am expecting 2007 to be a fantastic year for me. I am in the best possible place to start my career, and my focus is on preparing as thoroughly as possible for the first race – and the sixteen to come after that.”

Test Drivers

The race driver duo will be aided by newly-recruited test drivers Nelson Piquet Jr. and Ricardo Zonta. They will bring a valuable blend of youthful talent and professional experience to the team, as it manages the transition to Bridgestone tyres while simultaneously building for the future.

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