Is there a link between F1 technology and road cars?
There’s no direct link but there is an indirect link. If you observe the systems and processes used in Formula 1, you can learn a lot about ensuring a road car’s reliability. It is one of the toughest competitions on earth and it can have an indirect impact on our engineers. From Renault in particular, we have seen a lot of conservative designs. Is there an explanation for this? Avant-garde styling works in some segments, like a sports car. But in the D-segment [European midsize sedan] people want reliable, robust cars with a competitive cost of ownership and good driving performance that will look modern in six years’ time. Edgy, modern design does not last. Car design is a marathon and not a sprint — a car needs to sell well in its last four years, not just its first two. You must be prudent and not give the consumer what he doesn’t want. In Europe, Renault’s executive car, the Vel Satis failed. Why? We tried to do something completely different from everything else, which is a good
