Paris (AFP)
The presence of the French automaker Renault in F1 is not called into question by the savings plan presented on Friday, announced its acting director-general Clotilde Delbos.
"We have said publicly and we confirm that we remain committed to Formula 1," said Delbos during a conference call with analysts to comment on the savings plan which is accompanied by 15,000 job cuts including 4,600 in France.
"The announcement of new regulations on spending limits is very good for us because we will have to invest less in this discipline than some of our competitors who spend a lot of money. So we are and remain in F1", a- she pointed out.
F1 has just decided to limit the annual spending limit to 145 million dollars in 2021 (132 million euros) then 140 million USD for 2022 with a further drop to 135 million USD for 2023-2025, based on a season of 21 races.
Renault returned to F1 in 2016 after retiring as a manufacturer in 2010. As a motorist, the brand is currently equipping its own single-seaters as well as the two McLarens, but the latter will go to Mercedes next year.
Renault could not do better than 5th in the classification of the 2019 world championship, being notably overtaken by McLaren. The manufacturer has also not managed to win a GP since his return, his best final ranking in the championship being 4th place in 2018.
He is currently running the French drivers Esteban Ocon and Australian Daniel Ricciardo but the latter has decided to join McLaren from 2021. Renault has not yet announced its replacement.
The 2020 F1 season has yet to start due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a first race is being planned for early July.
© 2020 AFP