Renault set sights on top three after perfect Canadian GP

Renault team principal Cyril Abiteboul says the team's "perfect" Canadian Grand Prix is a blueprint for them to follow through the rest of 2019 as they look to pull away from Formula 1's crazy midfield pack. Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg came home sixth and seventh respectively in Montreal.

Renault secured their first double points finish of 2019 in Canada, backing up a strong qualifying performance, which saw Ricciardo take fourth spot on the grid.

Reliability issues dogged Renault's early-season efforts, but Abiteboul says the focus is now on improving the RS19 further, starting with next weekend's home race at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

"It's a good team result, it's the best that we could expect at this point, it puts us back in the game, very close from the McLarens," Abiteboul told Motorsport.com of the Montreal result.

"It's also good because it was simply a weekend that has happened without an issue, that developed itself without any particular problem. And therefore we see what's possible if we are capable of doing that.

"Frankly I can tell you that from Thursday, Friday onwards, it's been a perfect execution, absolutely no mistakes, absolutely no incidents. So, in all respects, it's a blueprint and an example of what needs to follow.

"It was a bit frustrating when you know you have some pace but not exactly that pace to keep on fighting with bigger teams - but frankly we need to take that and be happy with the result."

Of impending upgrades, Abiteboul added: "We need to take this result and already focus to the next one, but obviously lots is already in the pipeline for the French Grand Prix.

"But we need to execute those improvements properly. There will have to be some tests and so on and so forth.

"But that should give us what we want, which is a bit of breathing space against the midfield, so that we can focus also and think a bit more medium-to-long-term to continue our development and to continue our improvement to the top teams."

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