For all Formula Renault 3.5 Series’ main contenders, spending two days at Enstone with the ING Renault F1 Team brings them one step closer to the highest level of motorsport. Being able to find out more, breathe in and dive into the daily life of a Formula 1 team is something that very few of them have had a taste of until now. Initiated by Renault Sport Technologies, they have thus been able to speak to leading personalities, but also perfect their physical conditions in an effort to continually strive for their supreme goal: to become a Formula 1 driver.

The first day was first of all devoted to getting to know the circuit: The ING Renault F1 Team base is tucked away in the heart of the English countryside, in the county of Oxfordshire. Once inside, the drivers found that the place is a hive of activity, and for good reason. With 470 employees, the Enstone centre is a real microcosm which brings together engineers and technicians all year round. 

From designing racing cars to modelling them and going through the wind tunnel tests, the majority of the work is carried out within the company itself. 80 to 90% of the parts needed to run Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet’s Renault F1 R29s are therefore conceived and manufactured at Enstone.

After an introductory speech from Rémi Deconinck, Managing Director of Renault Sport Technologies, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series drivers had the opportunity to see round all the buildings which make up the Enstone centre. They started by showing them the new Digital Fluid Mechanics (CFD) building. Next, the young drivers were ushered to the plant, where the engineers explained in detail how the different entities on the premises operate.

“It’s really quite surprising.” It’s the first time that I’ve visited a place like this”, said Sten Pentus. “The centre is as impressive as the way in which the car is prepared and developed. We are used to seeing all that on the television, but it is much better to understand what is going on from the inside”, he continued. “It gives us motivation. It makes us want to work even harder to reach this stage as quickly as possible, even if we know that it is still very difficult.”

Under the watchful eye of the drivers, Rob Bell, the Renault F1 Team Technical Director (Chassis), then explained in detail what was required in order to reach Formula 1 one day. In the afternoon, after a presentation from the team’s training instructor highlighting diet and proper preparation for an F1 driver, a real physical training régime was offered to the drivers at the Human Performance Centre. As such they were able to compete against each other through various physical and mental activities: strengthening of the neck, working on reflexes, endurance, physical exercise, etc.

In addition to doing a good job on the track, the drivers must know how to communicate with their partners, but also and in particular with the media. In this vein, on the second day, the drivers attended a seminar on public relations and a media training session. This final point was followed up with exercises in front of the camera at the end of the day.

“It’s incredible to see how a Formula 1 team works”, exclaimed Daniil Move at the end of the session. “It’s always a good thing when we get the chance to learn new things. I thoroughly enjoyed the media training session because in Formula 1, communication plays a vital role whether with the sponsors or with the press.”

At the end of these two days, each person was delighted to have been able to get close to the sport at its highest level. “It’s interesting to see that from our point of view, we are striving to be at the cutting edge of motor racing and here, the engineers give of their best to ensure that the drivers have a high-performance vehicle. Everybody has their own role, but everybody has the same goal: to win!” concluded Move.