Pressiteade
The four-dayR.S.18 testing programme in Bahrain will feature newly-crowned FIA Formula 3Champion Oscar Piastri and 2020 FIA Formula 2 race winners, Christian Lundgaardand Guanyu Zhou.
The upcoming testin Bahrain showcases Renault DP World F1 Team’s continued commitment to the Academyas it readies its junior drivers for a Formula 1 race seat in the future.
Nineteen-year-oldDane Christian, currently fourth in the FIA Formula 2 Drivers’ Championshipwith only two rounds remaining, will pilot day one of the test (29 October) markinghis third time in a Formula 1 car. Christian has so far won two races in hismaiden F2 season.
Taking over fromChristian for day two (30 October) for his first-ever experience in a Formula 1car will be Oscar Piastri. The Australian joined the Academy earlier this yearfollowing his triumph in the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup and sealed back toback titles with the F3 crown this season.
Rounding off the finaltwo days of the test for the Academy (1-2 November) will be FIA Formula 2driver, Guanyu Zhou. The Chinese driver is Renault DP World F1 Team’s TestDriver and currently sits eighth in the 2020 Drivers’ standings with one winand five podiums this year.
Mia Sharizman, Renault Sport Academy Director:
“The tests in Bahrain are part of a planned programmethat the Academy has delivered every year for the past three years. It’s a goodopportunity for us to show the progression and level of achievement of thedrivers in the Academy. Christian and Zhou will be in the R.S.18 for a secondtime, whilst Oscar will be experiencing his first time in a Formula 1 car as areward for winning the FIA Formula 3 title plus it is part of his continuedprogression in the Academy. The plan for the testing days often variesdepending on experience, so Oscar’s day will be about getting him up to speedand familiar with the car. For Zhou and Christian, their days will be shapedlike an actual race weekend, with practice, qualifying and race simulations.Bahrain is a very good test location for us, and beneficial for both Zhou andChristian who will race here later in November for the final two rounds of theFIA Formula 2 Championship.”
Christian Lundgaard:
“I am very excited to be testing the R.S.18 nextweekend. I’ve done two test days before in a Formula 1 car, so we’ll be lookingto build on where I left off. I’ve never actually raced in Bahrain, so doingthe test will be valuable for me especially since I’m driving there for thefinal two rounds of championship. We’ll be looking to use the test to preparefor the race and also for me to learn more about the car. There is nothing betterthan learning a track in an F1 car, so that’s going to be pretty exciting.”
Oscar Piastri:
“It’s safe to say I am very excited to be driving theR.S.18 next week in Bahrain. Obviously, it will be my first test in a Formula 1car, so it will definitely be a moment to cherish and remember for a very longtime. It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to drive an F1 car, so Iam very grateful to the team for the opportunity. There will be lots to learnon the day, such as getting used to the power, downforce and braking of the carand it will all be a challenge, but I love tackling new ones. I drove theBahrain circuit earlier this year when we did the FIA Formula 3 pre-seasontest, but I’ve obviously never lapped the circuit in an F1 car, so I can’t waitto get out on track.”
Guanyu Zhou:
“It will be my second time driving the R.S.18, so I’mlooking forward to getting back behind the wheel. My past experience with theR.S.17 and 18 was all about getting familiar with the car, whilst this yearit’s been geared towards some of the smaller aspects, such as finding the rightbalance in the car and identifying what set-up suits me best. This time out thetest will also be focused on getting into a full rhythm of an actual F1 raceweekend. It’s extremely useful to do these days, as I learn a lot from them andthey will help make sure I am ready for a seat in Formula 1. It’ll also be goodto drive around the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain a few weeks ahead of our finaltwo rounds there in the championship.”
