Caterham has finally confirmed that it will continue with Renault into the turbo era.
Although there was never any question of the team taking any other route, given Caterham’s road car partnership with Renault, the deal has only now been formalised. It covers the 2014-2016 seasons.
The news leaves Lotus and Sauber as the only teams yet to officially confirm their 2014 deals with their current suppliers.
“This announcement is obviously very good news for our F1 team,” said team principal Cyril Abiteboul. “And is a reflection of the deep bonds that have been created between our two businesses since 2011, particularly with the road car project we launched in 2012 between Caterham and Alpine, which is now at an advanced stage in development.
“Given the age and status of our team we have also been pleased to see Renault Sport F1 adapting their operational practices to suit our size and optimizing our integration with an enhanced technical collaboration. We work together in an open and honest manner to help Caterham F1 Team achieve its short-term goal of establishing itself as an integral part of F1 and to help Renault achieve the deserved recognition of its technical edge.”
“Over the past three years we have seen Caterham mature, with impressive new facilities and a solid technical structure, said Jean-Michel Jalinier, President and Managing Director of Renault Sport F1. “The new technical regulations provide a big challenge, but with change comes opportunity and next year is a prime chance for the team to secure the next targets in its ongoing plans.
“From the very start our partnership has been comprehensive and it is therefore natural that we would want to see it pay dividends. We are very happy with the quality and depth of the teams we will supply and look forward to seeing the first generation of Energy F1-powered cars hit the track next year.”
Adam Cooper F1 