Renault F1’s search for a new team principal goes on, with reports that Citroën and Peugeot motorsports chief Olivier Quesnel has turned down their offer.
Renault ended weeks of speculation last week by announcing that they would be continuing to race in Formula 1 next year, as well as supplying Red Bull Racing with the engines that helped the team and Sebastian Vettel run Brawn GP and Jenson Button close in both the constructors’ and the drivers’ championships this season.
But since Renault F1 chief Flavio Briatore left the team after the ‘Crashgate’ scandal, in which it was admitted that Nelson Piquet had been told to crash in the 2008 Singapore GP to help team-mate Fernando Alonso, Renault have been on the hunt for a replacement, with Quesnel among the high-profile names linked, along with compatriot and former F1 boss Alain Prost.
But Quesnel has reportedly already said no to Renault, preferring to remain with their French rivals. Quesnel had pretty big shoes to fill when he replaced the legendary Guy Fréquelin as Citroën’s head of motorsport two years ago, but his first season at the helm delivered a first WRC constructor’s title in three years, as well as Sébastien Loeb’s fifth straight drivers’ crown.
A year ago, Quesnel also added the affairs of Citroën stablemate Peugeot to his portfolio. Last week, the Frenchman was in Monte Carlo to collect Peugeot’s Intercontinental Rally Challenge constructors’ prize after Kris Meeke’s terrific debut series win in the Kronos Peugeot 207 S2000 this year… all this after another double WRC win for Loeb and for Citroën in 2009 – and with Kimi Räikkönen arriving at the Citroën Junior Team shortly with Red Bull backing.
"We will continue to count on Sébastien [Loeb] and Dani [Sordo] to defend our world titles in 2010. We will also be prolonging our association with Sébastien Ogier, who showed outstanding potential this year,” said Quesnel. "Last but not least, it is with immense joy that we welcome Kimi Räikkönen to our ranks. We are very proud he has chosen Citroen."
Little wonder that Olivier Quesnel is staying where he is…
Read more about Quesnel’s Citroën team at the official website
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