After engineers Denis Chevrier and Bruno Mauduit in “L”Equipe”, it was the father of Renault V10 engines with multiple world titles Bernard Dudot who spoke to our colleagues at AUTOhebdo.
Pioneer of the supercharged engine revolution at Renault Sport in the mid-1970s after an internship in the United States with turbo specialist Garrett, the young engineer took over as head of engine manufacturers at Viry-Châtillon in the 1980s.
Bernard Dudot was at the helm when the Régie withdrew from the Grands Prix in 1986 but he had convinced his bosses to maintain a “monitoring cell” which led to the famous 3.5 liter naturally aspirated V10 which would dominate F1 in the following decade with Williams and Benetton (pictured above).
The engineer left Renault Sport in 2005 after the first title of a Renault chassis powered by one of its engines in the hands of Fernando Alonso to then exercise his art as a consultant, notably with Mecachrome and the GP2 Series.
Uncertain future
His reaction after the cessation of F1 engine activity at Viry is therefore eagerly awaited, particularly regarding the notion of “monitoring cell” which is dear to him, and he spoke at length in the last issue ofAUTOhebdo.
“The current project was very promisinghe assures. Early projections show he is extremely in the mix. This is all very disappointing. The problem is that F1 in the hands of a large group like Renault is always an adventure whose outcome is most uncertain.”
“When you embark on this type of profession, you have to expect shocks of this type which are episodic, which sometimes do not last, which reveal other things, which allow you to change direction or, on the contrary, to return where we left from, he explains. People who work in F1 know it, but it remains a huge loss, because in Viry-Châtillon there is potential, know-how, equipment solely dedicated to Formula 1 which is hardly exploitable for other projects.”
F1 is a showcase
“It is also a blow to French motorsport, but as we have already seen in the world of F1, there are unexpected twists and turns, he warns.
Opportunities will present themselves again. Among manufacturers, after throwing out the baby and the bathwater, it is not uncommon for them to want to set new objectives. We must not forget that F1 is not just a showcase for a large group like Renault, it is also a means of enlivening the company.”
“Louis Schweitzer, boss in my time, had insisted that he was doing F1 for the internal animation of his company, concessions, manufacturers, design offices, etc., he specifies. The day after a great Grand Prix, there was always enthusiasm in the establishment. It was a way to move things forward in terms of company cohesion.”
Means for the monitoring cell
“I am pleased to see that a monitoring unit has been set up, because this is what will allow us to return in the best conditions the day the President changes his mind, continues the engineer. It will then be possible to get the machine back on track fairly quickly. De Meo has every interest in putting Viry in a position to be able to return as soon as possible.”
“This monitoring unit must be able to do its work in the best possible conditions and that requires a minimum of human, technical and financial resources. Without these resources, it’s smoke and mirrors!” concludes Dudot.
