2019 F1 Guide: Renault need to up their game to be relevant

Since their return in 2016, Renault have steadily climbed the championship standings each year, and look to start the 2019 Formula 1 season a clear favourite of the midfield. It’s all a part of their grand plan to become a world championship-winning team within the next two years.

The yellow and black team field one of the strongest driver line-ups with Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg at this year’s Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2019, and will undoubtedly come out in Melbourne to impress, as they chase down Red Bull for third place in the F1 constructors’ championship.

Cyril Abiteboul, Team Manager: The Frenchman started out in Formula 1 as a business executive with Renault in 2007, before a brief stint running former F1 team Caterham in 2013 and 2014. Abiteboul returned to Renault in his current role as managing director in 2014.

Abiteboul shares a bitter rivalry with Red Bull boss Christian Horner, sparked over Red Bull’s reliability issues with Renault power units over the past five years.

Big kudos to him for having the tenacity to scoop Ricciardo away from Red Bull, but now his team has to provide the big smiling Aussie a car to do the business... and that's the hard part.

McLaren, powered by Renault, will be their only benchmark team, with the Woking going through the worst spell in their illustrious history it is unlikely they will test the works team or force them to raise the bar as they plot their recovery.

The departure of Red Bull will be a welcome relief to Renault, the constant warmongering and ill feelings got nasty and went public. This is now in the past, one less irritating distraction.

Cyril Abiteboul, Nick Chester and Daniel Ricciardo.

Daniel Ricciardo: Two into one does not go as Red Bull proved when they made their main man Max Verstappen, the trigger that set 29-year-old Dan to look around for alternatives.

Mercedes and Ferrari had no place for him although the prospect of the Aussie of Italian origin in a Red car is salivating, while Renault made him an offer he could not refuse to the shock of the entire paddock.

It's exciting times for the Perth native, but at the same time he needs to get used to life in the heart of the midfield. One can cite his experience of rocketing through the pack thanks to starting so many races from the back or near the tail end of the grid.

But that was in a superior car, it will be a lot tougher down the order. Wins are likely to elude him for now and how he deals with the slip to the 'F1 second division' will be an interesting subplot to a mighty season ahead. His character will be put to test and how he overcomes the frustration will be telling.

Nico Hulkenberg.

Nico Hulkenberg: Is the German F1's best journeyman ever? No doubt he and his fans won't like that title but that's what he is. After all, in 156 Grand Prix starts he has never set foot on the podium and tends to have the reputation of upping his game when contract time comes around.

Maybe this is unfair and of course, he will deny it. This year, like many of his colleagues on the grid, there is nowhere to hide as he goes up against a formidable and respected opponent unlike any he has teamed up with before during his career.

If there is a time for Nico to up his game and sustain that upward momentum it is now, anything less than matching his new teammate will be a disappointment.

While Abiteboul may claim to have the best driver line-up on the grid, the truth is they are potentially that, but will Renault provide them with the tools to showcase their abilities or will the midpack be their plight yet again?

Anything short of several podiums and fourth place again in the F1 constructors' championship will be a failure for the French outfit, anything better will progress as mapped by their management who are targeting next year as the time to start winning again.

Although Renault have powered drivers and teams to 23 F1 world titles, as a works F1 team they have only triumphed on four occasions, in 2005 and 2006 with Fernando Alonso winning the drivers' title while the team claimed the constructors' championship in both those years.