Renault write off Heidfeld car after Hungary fire

Aug 4, 2011, 13:24 GMT

Berlin - The Renault team has written off Nick Heidfeld's car which caught fire at the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday and that several factors contributed to the incident.

Renault technical director James Allison said on the team's website on Thursday that a different engine mapping in Budapest qualifying caused a hotter exhaust and a preliminary crack in the exhaust pipe, and that Heidfeld then came in for a race pit stop, which was longer than planned, with a partially failed exhaust.

'This pit stop took longer than normal, the engine was left at high rpm ... Under these conditions, a lot of excess fuel always ends up in the exhausts and their temperature rises at around 100°C/sec. This temperature rise was enough to finish off the partially failed pipe and to start a moderate fire under the bodywork,' he said.

Heidfeld's car started to burn while still in the pit lane. He parked it on the grass shortly after the pit lane exit and a small explosion then occurred after he got out of the car.

Looking at the small explosion, Allison said: 'This was caused by the air bottle which supplies the air valves in the engine. It has overheated in the fire and failed.'

Allison said the incident 'highly undesirable, as it has caused us to write off a chassis.' With all teams not allowed into their factories for two weeks in an F1 cost-cutting move, Renault will not have a lot of time to have a new car ready for Heidfeld for the next race in Belgium on August 28.

Allison also said Renault will do its best that a similar incident doesn't occur again.

'We will take steps prior to the next race to reduce the likelihood of a further fire and to ensure that the air bottle cannot overheat. We are in touch with the FIA both to provide them with a full report of the incident and also to explain to them the actions we are taking to prevent a reoccurrence.'

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