Renault team principal Flavio Briatore has again spoken out about the diffuser controversy that he believes is causing his team’s lack of performance this season. The Italian told Autosport he was conscious of all three “diffuser gang” teams’ superior speed, and that everybody else was suffering.
“Like everybody else, excluding three teams, everybody is having a tough time,” Briatore said.
“Malaysia was tough as well, especially with the weather, and our downforce is very poor. And this is very clear.
“But we do not give up, absolutely. We have the hearing [of the FIA’s Court of Appeal] on April 14 and we need to see what happens as well,” he maintained.
In a vicious dig at Williams, Briatore said that the team’s diffuser entirely explained their drivers’ competitiveness.
“This weekend it was so clear what happened. It is not normal. In this moment, Kazuki Nakajima is a fantastic driver, but these people did not make such a big improvement from last year…It is very clear there is a lot of downforce and a lot of ground effect.”
Briatore faces more difficulties up ahead if his car’s performance fails to improve. Star driver Fernando Alonso, although performing brilliantly so far this season, will most probably leave if Renault do not become competitive soon. Meanwhile, Nelson Piquet’s errant performances have raised concerns in the paddock about his ability to remain at the pinnacle of motorsport.
