OCTOBER 6, 2010

Bob Bell departs Renault

Renault Formula 1 team managing director Bob Bell has stepped down with immediate effect.

Bell joined the team while it was still the Benetton operation in 1997, after working for 15 years at McLaren through the successful period with John Barnard. He briefly left to work at Jordan, but then returned to Renault, becoming technical director in 2002. In the wake of the race-fixing scandal last season, when Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds left the team, Bell was appointed the interim team principal until Eric Boullier took his place at the start of this year.

Renault F1 chairman Gerard Lopez praised Bell, "We would like to thank Bob Bell for his contribution to the performance of the team and for helping see us through a period of transition since Genii Capital became a shareholder in the Renault F1 Team. We are entrusting the post of Managing Director to Eric Boullier and we have every confidence that, under his leadership, we will achieve our racing objectives. Throughout the 2010 season, we have been assessing what is required to continue improving our level of competitiveness and we believe we are well positioned for the challenges ahead."

Boullier will take on the role of managing director in addition to his team principal role.

Boullier said, "Since the beginning of the season, the Renault F1 Team has demonstrated its ability to react to a need for change. The results of the tremendous efforts made have been immediately apparent on the race track. Today, we have a competitive car and an incredibly motivated team. I am proud of the trust being placed in me to continue this good work, and I will make every effort to ensure the Renault F1 Team returns to the front of the grid as soon as possible."