Renault has hit 'high targets' in engine department

Renault's engine technical director Remi Taffin says that the team has hit the "high targets" it set on the build-up to pre-season testing.

The French manufacturer will be looking to close in on Mercedes and Ferrari this year, as it has lacked behind in the engine department throughout the V6 hybrid era.

It ran the new power unit for the first time over the two weeks of pre-season testing in Barcelona. Taffin stated that the team is pleased with the performance of the unit so far as it uses aggressive methods in the hope of taking on more power.

"Everything we actually developed and measured on the dyno were the same as what we see out on track,” Taffin said. 

"It was quite similar the last few years, but this year it is again where we are. We have set some high targets for this year, which we hit. We're happy with what we have achieved.

"But obviously it's the same thing; we need to go out on track and see where we will be, and we will have to wait until Melbourne to see that in quali and the race.”

2019 will mark Renault's fourth season in F1 since its return as a works outfit in 2016. Last year, it topped the midfield battle, beating Haas to fourth place in the constructors' standings.

When asked how important it was to now start to bridge the gap to the frontrunners, Taffin said: “The only pressure we have got is the pressure from our company. We look to ourselves first and we had homework to be done. 

“We have set high targets, which we try and meet on either side of the channel. I am pretty sure the rest will do a good job but I think we are happy with what we are doing. 

“We also will keep on developing through the year so I think the pressure is just the pressure we put on ourselves. We have to put some pressure on and that is why we are here. 

"The way we developed for this year is no different to what we did last year. It is now a year or two where we are discussing these things but sometimes we need more time to develop and the one thing we have kept on is the concept we have had for the last 18 months. 

“It is starting to deliver and we feel that we will be delivering more and more so we are happy.”