Jerome Stoll, Renault 2019 F1 livery launch

Renault not prepared to win at any cost – Stoll

2019 F1 season

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Renault is not prepared to adopt a win-at-any-cost approach to Formula 1, according to Renault Sport Racing president Jerome Stoll.

The manufacturer has invested in building up its F1 team’s resources since returning to F1 in 2016 and signed Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull last season. However as Formula One Management is planning to introduce a budget cap in 2021, Renault has pitched its spending accordingly.

“Basically the cost cap is more or less aligned with where we are today,” Stoll told RaceFans and other media at the team’s launch event this week. “We have to step up again a little bit, but we are not far.”

Stoll sees Renault as being at the “centre of gravity” in the budget cap debate, spending less than its manufacturer rivals but more than most midfield teams.

“For Mercedes, for Red Bull or for Ferrari, winning is really a must whatever the cost,” explained Stoll. “For us winning is important, but we look at the cost.”

A budget cap is essential for F1, Stoll believes, and he will urge Formula 1’s owners Liberty Media to make it happen when he next meets with them.

“We are pushing,” he said. “I had several discussion with Chase Carey about that. He promised to us the decision would be taken by late last year. No decision has been taken.

Start, Red Bull Ring, 2018
Analysis: How F1 teams spent $2.2 billion in 2018
“So I’m going to push, I will meet him again at Melbourne or maybe at Barcelona next week. We start again: What is your planning, when you can take a decision? It’s very much important for us. It’s crucial for us.”

While some manufacturer teams have resisted moves to cap costs. However Stoll believes there is a growing consensus that spending needs to be tackled as shareholders pressure teams “not to go up to the sky” with their spending.

“I think that basically when you look at the three main points of the discussion that we have – which is the redistribution of rights, cost cap and governance-slash-attractiveness of the show – I saw really better conventions on all the teams maybe more recently, especially on the cost cap.”

How much do Formula 1 teams spend?

Read our analysis of F1 team budgets:

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Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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17 comments on “Renault not prepared to win at any cost – Stoll”

  1. Show of hand if you thought about Singapore 08 when reading the tittle

    (taking cover)

    1. @johnmilk LOL. Back then they were prepared to win at any cost, but not these days anymore, how things have changed.

      1. Very good João! Well, I would say it was more of a Briatore thing, we know his methods, it’s the Briatore “style” right? Cannot see this happening! But it was a priceless comment!

        1. georgeboole (@)
          15th February 2019, 20:04

          @mmertens regarding Briatore he’s had an interesting meeting with his friend Bernie and posted it on Instagram. Horner’s reply is what you need to see there

    2. Exactly, my hand just shot up too @johnmilk

  2. I think Ricciardo is in a tough place. If there’s no cost cap put in place for 2021, there’s no way in hell that the Enstone squad will ever give him a championship contending car.

    Keith’s article on cost per point (amount of points accumulated by a constructor divided by the budget of the team) gave a decent idea of efficiency in spend among the different teams on the grid. If there is a reasonable cost cap put in place, I reckon Renault and Force India could surprise.

  3. Jelle van der Meer (@)
    15th February 2019, 15:02

    Just what Ricciardo wanted to hear – next to the need to rush to be ready for testing – confirmation Renault will not get close to budgets of the top 3.

    So looking back – Verstappen signing a very rich deal early with Red Bull worked out great so far – also knowing that similar to Riccardio he unlikely would have gotten a Mercedes/Ferrari seat for 2019 thus being in Red Bull is next best.

    Not sure how long Riccardio signed but I thought 2 years so both him and Max will be free from contract for 2021.

    1. So far, while not one wheel has been turned in anger…

  4. In his defence, we knew this already.

  5. The article reminds me of the overriding philosophy of staying in a cheap hotel
    Always have one foot outside of the shower …. you never know when it is going to switch from hot to cold.

  6. I’d really like to see his face and hear his thoughts about the same topic when Big Dan or the Hulk -somehow- win a few GP in the early stage of the season and they’ve a chance for the WCC.

    (I know a lot of IF..but still..)

    1. With this current attitude they more likely have to look backwards than looking at victory’s or even podiums. Renault is not gonna win a GP unless something extreme happens. Their drivers might make them look better than they are, but I wouldn’t be surprised if their package finally ends up behind many other teams, the Ferrari satellite teams look strong, especially Alfa-Romeo and their massive new budget.

  7. One step away from leaving F1.

  8. They have an ideal partner in McLaren, who are not prepared to win at any time.

    1. @MaliceCooper Savageness at its best.

  9. The real issue I think Dieter or someone already mentioned: if the budget cap gets brought in you’ll likely just see Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull front load their spending. Furthermore, I believe Renault doesn’t have a full chassis dyno, unlike the other two (dunno about Honda itself but Red Bull has one). So it’ll still be behind even with a cost cap just based on that…the shower comment above is exactly right…

  10. Well, the Enstone based team (whether under the guise of Renault, Benetton, Lotus, etc.) has always been fiscally conservative, relative to other manufacturers like Ferrari, Mercedes, Toyota and Honda. Which is why on average they tend to hover at the level of best of the rest, occasionally becoming the best of the best (1994-1995 and 2005-2006).

    I remember back in 2005 when Renault/Alonso won the title, the team was praised for being the most cost effective spenders in F1; having bagged both the WDC and WCC titles despite “only” having a budget of ~€/$ 250 Million. Which was considerably less than what was being spent by the likes of Ferrari, Toyota, BAR/Honda and Mclaren/Mercedes.

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