I keep hearing some people sound off that Renault is the best car. Piquet added more fuel to the fire by saying the car was a WDC winning car and the fault lies with the drivers. I don't understand how people come to this conclusion. The car is good but lacks the qualifying pace. And you cant afford not to be right up there in Quali with so many cars close. Where would you rank Renault overall this season. Id put them just behind Ferrari in 4th place.
I assume we're talking of Lotus here They seem to be highly consistent but never quite there. Their Qualifying has been pretty poor like you say but with their race pace they will always be a thread to the podium.
Assuming that Racing is referring to Lotus, they certainly have a very quick car. Other teams which use the Renault engine also benefit from the following, which in particular, contrasts with those using the Mercedes unit*. With tyre consumption a heavy influence on the race-speed equation this year, Lotus perhaps hold a disproportionately strong hand – because the car is so well balanced and easy to set up. Therefore it tends to be pretty easy on the tyres. This long-term race advantage is offset in Qualifying because a tyre's life expectancy is of far less concern over short periods, especially when maximising one-lap pace. - - -o0o- - - *Engine torque characteristics and the way in which an engine produces its power has a substantial effect upon transmission and its terminal-point: the rear tyres! This is one of the reasons those using the Mercedes unit have found greater difficulty in setting up their cars for a good front/rear balance – which ideally uses front and rear tyres at a similar and predictable rate. It is also brings temperatures into sharp focus because temperature influences a tyre's compound and the way in which it interacts with track surface. This can make a substantial difference, especially with Pirelli's current tyres having such a narrow optimum.
The thing is that this year there is no "fastest" car. Some days, Mercedes have dominated. Some days, Mclaren have popped up out of nowhere. Yesterday, the Red Bull was nowhere in qualifying yet Vettel was second only to Button in dominating the race. The Lotus has been the most consistent car all season, without the wild fluctuations in pace seen by the other teams. I'd say the only other team with a consistent level of pace has been Toro Rosso - and they have no pace at all. The other cars have all peaked and troughed throughout the season whereas the Lotus has at most races been scoring points at least and more recently challenging consistently for podiums. In that sense perhaps it is the best car on the grid... but it will all be for naught unless they can actually challenge for wins, assuming Raikkonen doesn't want to one-up Keke Rosberg!
