Renault has postponed the introduction of its upgraded engine until the end of July due to reliability concerns.
The first power unit update is still scheduled for later this month. Teams are expected to switch at the Spanish or Monaco GP.
But the second, bigger, update, which was expected in Canada, has been postponed until the British or Hungarian GP.
“We want to keep it in sync with the power unit integration, and we want to do that before the summer break,” Renault F1’s managing director, Cyril Abiteboul, told Autosport.
Once again, it’s reliability problems that have hit Renault.
The manufacturer was forced to revert to the 2016 specification MGU-K at the start of the season. Reliability problems with the 2017 design caused problems for all Renault powered teams at testing. An updated version of the new design is expected to be introduced with the first engine update.
Renault may have started the season on the back foot, but Abiteboul is still confident the manufacturer will be able to bridge the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari.
“It is something that is still work in progress,” he said. “We are touching some limitations, but we believe the concept that we have introduced this year is the right concept.
“There is innovation in the pipeline and there is performance in the pipeline.
“I am not lowering my ambition to be able to cut massively the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari that is still here.
“I am not saying we are on a par with them now, but we have a plan for that.”
