Renault has confirmed its own two-day test for Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon at Red Bull Ring with its 2018 F1 car.
Following Mercedes, who conducted a two-day test at Silverstone this past weekend with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Renault has confirmed its run with Ricciardo and Ocon ahead of the 2020 start in the R.S.18 – which is its 2018 F1 car.
As per the FIA regulations, F1 teams are allowed to run two years old car for testing purposes. This will be the first track run for Renault and its drivers since the pre-season running at Barcelona and possibly its first with their 2020 livery.
The team ran an all-black livery in Barcelona and unveiled its usual yellow and black livery in Australia before the event got cancelled. The run will help them to only shake off the cobwebs but also prepare the F1 team for the new safety protocols in place.
Considering the travel restrictions, it is unusual for Renault to be running in Austria as opposed to United Kingdom, where they are based at. While Ocon seems to be in France still after he posted about visiting Viry, Ricciardo has returned to UK from Australia.
Ricciardo will get the first chance on June 16 (Tuesday) with Ocon following on June 17 (Wednesday). It is unclear if the team personnel are already in Austria and or if they are to stay back in the place until the opening two rounds at Red Bull Ring.
Renault is the second F1 team to announce a proper run, while Racing Point will be using its 2020 car as part of a filming day at Silverstone. There are reports as well from Motorsport Network about AlphaTauri planning a filming day at Imola too.
Other then that, some F1 drivers have had time on track with Lando Norris driving a F3 car along with Alexander Albon – the former also did karting, as did Kevin Magnussen, Pierre Gasly, Daniil Kvyat, George Russell, Nicholas Latifi, Kimi Raikkonen, Charles Leclerc and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Here’s news on Racing Point’s filming day
Here’s how Mercedes had its run at Silverstone
Here’s tyre compounds for eight F1 races
Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on decisions, career and more