Altran to Extend Renault Partnership Beyond 2009

Following the signing of Dutch watchmaker TW Steel as one of their main sponsors for the 2010 Formula One Championship, Renault received even more good news before the winter break. It seems the crash-gate did not scare off all of Renault's partners in the series, as Altran intends to continue its technology partnership with the Enstone based team from 2010 onwards.

Although nothing has been confirmed by either the French manufacturer or Altran, it seems the company's communications and strategy chief Pascal Brier revealed his support for the Renault F1 operations. He insisted that support and trust are the most important attributes in a partnership and it's vital that both companies share the same view for the future.

“It is important in a partnership to affirm full support,” Brier was quoted as saying to several French media in recent days.

One explanations why Altran may decide to stay with Renault for the upcoming years in the series is the fact that the technology and innovation consulting firm is based in the French capital Paris. Being a French company, it's only natural for them to stick with their fellow countryman for better or worst, as it may benefit their business within the French borders. But that just plain speculation...

The fact remains that Renault started to recover slowly from the aforementioned scandal. Only days after the FIA found the Enstone based team guilty of race fixing, no less than 2 major sponsors – one of them being the very title sponsor of the team ING Group – decided to immediately terminate their ongoing deals with Renault.