Here’s the First Firing of McLaren’s New Renault-Powered F1 Car
Listen as the MCL33 fires up and shoots exhaust fumes of hope into the lungs of McLaren-Renault staff.
Newly partnered McLaren-Renault has made public the first firing of its contender for the 2018 Formula One World Championship, and to say that the anxiety is palpable is an understatement.
The video uploaded to McLaren's YouTube channel is short on details, only showing the team's racing director Eric Boullier accompanied by the engineering team and other McLaren staffers. Several folks wearing Renault polo shirts are shown on standby, while others look at computer monitors as engine telemetry flows in real time. Following the disastrous partnership with Honda, this first demonstration brings a lot of unanswered questions for the future of the team, but especially its number one driver Fernando Alonso, who is more than ready to clinch a third world championship.
The new Renault engine is a direct-injected turbocharged V6 with hybrid kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems. No specifications have been released, but in 2017, the R.S.17 motor could rev up to 15,000 rpm and produce more than 900 horsepower. The French automaker will also provide powerplants to Red Bull Racing in 2018, despite losing Scuderia Toro Rosso as engine customer to none other than Honda.
Lastly, the video closes with "#BEBRAVE" which couldn't better represent McLaren shareholders' feelings.
