Renault President on the futureEarlier in the week Renault President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn announced `Renault Commitment 2009` a growth plan whose ambition is to make and sustain Renault as the most profitable European volume car company.
For Formula One fans, the main focus of his address was the future of the French car-maker at the pinnacle of motorsports. What follows is part of the question and answer session in which Christophe Bourroux of RTL asked the President `are you going to continue in F1?`
Carlos Ghosn
"We have already answered: yes, in 2006, we are in F1. We have a good team and the first tests have been very promising. You are asking the boss of a company a question which does not have a date linked to it."
"You are asking whether we are going to continue. As long as it is in Renault’s interests to be in F1, we will be there. Maybe 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 – we will see how things go year-by-year, championship-by-championship, and as long as it is a good investment for Renault, we will remain in F1. The day it is no longer a good investment, we will withdraw."
"For the moment, it is a good investment for Renault and I am confident that the team we have today, which won both titles in 2005, will fight to get good results in 2006. Yes, there has been a change in the rules of F1 for 2007 and 2008 and we are looking at these changes in the rules. On a very objective basis, we will decide on the duration of our participation in F1. For the moment, we are in F1 and we will fight for the title."
"What is important is that here, with the F1, we are able to show what Renault is capable of. However, we have to ensure that the cost of F1 is an investment."
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