Renault says the 2016 Formula 1 season will be a “year of transition”, with podiums three or four years away.
The French manufacturer took over the Lotus F1 team in December and officially announced its plans at a launch event in Paris on Wednesday.
An interim black livery with yellow accents was unveiled, with Kevin Magnussen being announced as one of Renault’s two racers alongside rookie Jolyon Palmer and reserve driver Esteban Ocon.
Jérôme Stoll, president of Renault Sport Racing, has admitted that there is a lot of work to do in order to rebuild and connect the F1 team’s bases in Enstone and Viry-Chatillon. He does not expect Renault to be scoring trophies any time soon.
"2016 will be a very specific year because we have to set back all the organisation that used to be," he said.
"Renault has been involved in the supply of engine only, not being a team, and now we have to reconcile and set up the new organisation between Enstone in the UK and Viry in France and to make this organisation work more efficiently and having the synergy of both organisations.
"At the end of the day [we have] to prepare the roadmap that we have in mind which is to be in the podium after three or four years. So 2016 will be a year of transition where we have to prepare our future."
Managing director Cyril Abiteboul added that Renault "has to be realistic" about its targets and goals for 2016, saying the team is "playing catch-up" in several areas. Renault will not write off this season but, according to Abiteboul, will put a lot more focus into 2017.
