Vettel pays tribute to Renault after Korea win

2011 Korean Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Korea, 2011

Sebastian Vettel praised the efforts of engine supplier Renault after winning in Korea.

Vettel, who retired from the race with engine failure while leading last year, said: “It was fantastic, after last weekend the drivers’ championship, this weekend the constructors’ championship for the team, fantastic.

“And also I wanted to say, particularly in this place, a lot of thanks to Renault. They’ve been pushing so hard. I think as a team we’ve shown a lot of morale after last year, when we had the engine failure here.

“To come back and still win the championship last year, this year faultless from the Renault side, and the engine is working fantastically well.

“We were very competitive on those circuits with long straights like Monza or here again. All in all the package is fantastic, the guys are enjoying and I think we do as well. So thank you very much and I am very, very happy today.”

Vettel was pleased with his car’s performance after McLaren appeared quicker during the race weekend:

“I think it’s good to see that the whole team keeps on pushing. Obviously in terms of preparation it wasn’t ideal because I think most of us were a bit tipsy after the last race, after the Sunday night. But I think we deserved that.

“And now to come here, after a tough Friday and a tough Saturday morning, to come back in qualifying and then, in the race, the car was fantastic it was was so much fun to drive, the car was getting quicker and quicker.

“When the safety car I didn’t really need that to be honest, Lewis came close again and I was struggling a little bit with the tyres. But then the car seemed to stabilise and come back and I was able to open the gap just before we had the second pit stop and then to the end it was fantastic I was able to push when I had to and then obviously got a little bit of the gap because those guys were fighting.”

2011 Korean Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    13 comments on “Vettel pays tribute to Renault after Korea win”

    1. I don’t know Renault engine had so many trouble last year. They’re quite reliable but only Red Bull had problems. Anyway this year they’re fine. furthermore Red bull would be de facto works team of Renault soon so comment is understandable.

      1. I think most of it was down rather to Red Bull going extreme on heat management as well as throtthle settings than Renault not being that good.

        And the speed they complained of was just drag and not having an F-duct at the start of the year.

        1. I don’t really think that is true.
          As a Renault engineer said after Abu Dhabi last year, on the BBC forum that the Mercedes and Ferrari had the more powerful engines.
          A lot of RB’s slow top speed, was of cause drag, but I think we would hear Renault complain if RB were actually lying about the strength of their engine.

          1. I believe Renualt engine’s peak power is less than Ferrari and Mercedes but I don’t think it’s not much. also I’ve heard Renault engine has other superiority such as torque optimization or fuel consumption. so I think they’re almost equal…

            1. @eggry @BasCB @mads I also think it’s one of the smaller engines so suits the RBR philosophy of extreme aero packaging.

            2. @Eggy
              True.
              It has its advantages in other areas. But straight line speed is what you need the maximum power output to get, and that was what RB complained about.
              They simply lacked the power to be competitive on high speed circuits. Now they have counteracted this with a very aero efficient design so it is not such a big problem for them any more and with exhaust blowing and things like that the Renault engine makes more sense then ever, because of the lower fuel consumption.

        2. @BasCB I agree with you. in the terms of drag, they reduces it significantly this year.

    2. Good to hear Red Bull has stopped giving their engine supplier slack for their own mistakes now.

    3. Great timing after last year’s trip to Korea.

    4. Nice words from Vettel. He should also praise Newey for managing to pack it so well!

    5. We all know it is Renault, but for PR’s sake, shouldn’t he be calling it an “Infiniti”?

      1. @mattb No, the engines aren’t officially badged as Infiniti, it’s entered with the FIA as a Renault engine.

        Red Bull announced today an expanded deal with Infiniti for 2012 but this just seems to be bigger logos and not engine branding.

    6. This is one thing they have improved this year is the reliability both from drivers & the teams now for 2012 they need to work on the KERS so that they make good start.

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