Nico Hulkenberg has conceded that Renault has lagged behind its Formula 1 rivals in the development race through 2018.
Renault opened a substantial buffer over its opponents mid-season, but has scored just nine points since the summer break.
Its advantage over Haas in the battle for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship has been reduced to only 11 points.
Renault would have already slipped behind Force India had the team not been stripped of the 59 points it earned before its mid-season takeover and re-entry.
“Well I think we’ve just been a little bit slow on the development side and we didn’t bring enough on the car to stay in that position [atop the midfield battle] unfortunately,” said Hulkenberg.
“I feel during the course of the year that we’ve lost out a little bit.
“Earlier in the season we were more clearly the fourth team then that sort of slipped through our hands a bit in the middle of the year.
“We did develop the car, we did bring parts, but it seemed that others maybe their rate of progress was more, better, quicker, seems to me a bit that way in the last few Grands Prix.”
Hulkenberg also confirmed that he and team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. will have to keep hold of fourth with the current-spec R.S.18, as Renault has no further updates planned.
“We’re still in fourth position now but obviously we have five weekends to go and it’s going to be a tough fight until the end,” he said.
“We’ll obviously throw everything into the mix that we have but it’s definitely going to be a stretch and a challenge for us.”
