Renault announce technology plans

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Formula One champions Renault announced a $50 million program of long-term technology investment on Monday, after slipping behind their rivals on the racetrack this season.

The team said in a statement that the program, including a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) facility to be built at their Enstone factory, had the full support of the French carmaker.

"This program of technology investment in the team sends a strong signal about our commitment to a competitive future in Formula One," team boss Flavio Briatore said.

Technical director Bob Bell added that the new CFD center would allow the team to develop new techniques and skills with applications far beyond Formula One.

"While other teams have invested in costly second wind tunnels, we believe that CFD is a technology of the future that will be integral to the design and development of more efficient vehicles," he said.

The team said the new CFD facility would provide them with 10 times their current capacity in that field.

It added that the construction work would meet stringent environmental targets, with the CFD center built below ground level and powered by renewable energy.

Renault, winners of both Formula One titles for the past two seasons with now-departed Spaniard Fernando Alonso, have struggled this year and are currently fourth overall with seven races remaining.

Neither Giancarlo Fisichella nor Heikki Kovalainen have finished on the podium this year and between them they have scored just 32 points from 10 races to McLaren's 138 and Ferrari's 111. E-mail to a friend

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