Abiteboul: We are massively behind in terms of production

Speaking to ESPN Abiteboul said, "Last year we managed to out-develop all teams, including the top teams. We started two seconds off the pace from the top teams and we finished the season one second away from the top teams.

"OK, we are starting this year more than one second or so from the top teams, but if we also manage to out-develop like we did last year, the target that we have set ourselves of finishing half a second away from them by the end of the year is an achievable one. I think we have the talent, skills and also the resources to achieve that, so let's see."

"I think that we still struggle in the winter to produce a car at the level of our expectations [for the start of the season] and there is reason to that, but I am sure that by putting more work we will be able to also improve that aspect in the next few years."

Renault bought Lotus back from Genii Capital late in 2015 and since have spent the past few years rebuilding a team which was close to collapse. Investment has been ongoing and substantial as the team grows from around 450 members to a target of 700 by the end of this season.

Abiteboul confirmed, "The investment, building and expansion is all done. We've completed the tranche related to engineering and design, we are just doing a tranche for electronics and the next tranche will be for production."

"We are still massively behind in terms of production and I was touching briefly before on the fact that we are still not great over the winter in developing a car that is immediately in the level of our expectations. One of the reasons for that is the fact that we are still much weaker than the other teams in terms of production facility, we are much slower."

"So the problem is when we have to produce a car with the level of sophistication of these cars, in particular cars of a top team, we need to have a model of a to team which means very integrated -- not a model like Force India or Haas, which, without being controversial, is a different model."

"Our choice is to become a top team, to become a top team we need to be integrated, but in order to be integrated it takes a bit of time in building space, in infrastructure, in composite room and then in terms of people. That tranche is our next focus."

"Right now we focused on upstream engineering: aero, the vehicle performance group, simulator, design office - all of that is done or being done. The next tranche will be production so we can shorten the lead time in terms of production so that we can meet the ambition, and in particular the complexity of modern F1 cars," added Abiteboul.