[Will Buxton] Renault haven't fought for a world championship for over a decade.
But with Nico HÃ¼lkenberg at the team,
they've come on in leaps and bounds over recent years.
[Cyril Abiteboul] Nico has been part of the construction
of the team three years.
He decided to join the team when we were P9.
[Nico] Whoo!
We've been P4 last year all together, so he's really been part of that journey.
[engineer] Absolutely brilliant, Nico.
That was beautifully judged there.
Thank you very much.
[Nico] Thanks, mate.
[Cyril] Nico is an extremely experienced driver,
but he has never achieved a podium.
[Will] And for the other driver at Renault,
Cyril, this year, has employed the services
of a guy who not only knows how to get onto a Formula 1 podium,
but who knows how to bring home a Formula 1 victory.
And that's Daniel Ricciardo.
[Cyril] Our ambition, our target, is to be the best at everything,
just like Ferrari and Mercedes.
[crowd cheering]
[Cyril] So, with Nico and Daniel,
that's a box ticked in relation to driver lineup.
I think we have a team that is definitely building its profile
and finally starting to believe.
Showtime.
[crowd cheering]
[tires screeching]
[commentator] It's the Canadian Grand Prix, and amazingly,
we're only a third of the way through the season,
so plenty more action and possibilities of change to come this year.
[Cyril] Daniel joining the team
certainly has contributed to set the bar very high for this season.
We know we are racing, but don't hesitate to have fun.
Absolutely.
- Life is too short... - Absolutely.
...to calculate.
Thanks, mate.
[commentator] Daniel Ricciardo,
outqualifying his teammate six-one on Saturday.
[commentator] Yeah, he really has, he's making the team his own.
[Cyril] Nico, this year is the last year of the initial term of our agreement,
so it's an important year and he's got expectations.
[Nico] For now, for me, home is Renault and I feel pretty happy there.
I think the relationship is very good.
The love and the fire is still burning, so...
[Daniel] I knew, coming to Renault,
that I was going to go up alongside with Nico...
and I feel more than ever he will be at his best.
There's not... you know, I don't think there's really any bullshit.
It's just...
May the best man win.
[crowd cheering]
[engines whirring]
[commentator] Finally, the green flag is waved.
Seventy laps ahead of us here in Montreal.
The Canadian Grand Prix is underway!
Ricciardo, a bit unstable, but he's okay.
HÃ¼lkenberg has started well in the thick of it
as they go through the first chicane.
[engine accelerating]
[crowd cheering]
[engineer] Okay, Nico, been told to target lap time of 16.5.
Danny's been given the same target.
[Cyril] Nico has the pace to be just as quick, if not quicker, than Daniel.
[Nico] How was the last lap for Danny?
What pace is he on?
[engineer] You are 1.5 tenths quicker.
Gap to Danny is 2.6 seconds.
[commentator] This is gonna get tasty, quite feisty, between the two Renaults.
Well, I hope they'll be allowed to race here. Why not?
[Nico] I have to get closer than this.
What is the gap?
[engineer] 1.3 seconds to Danny.
Okay, Nico, been told you need to hold position.
Nico, we need to cool the car
and that means you need to open a two-second gap to Danny.
Nico.
[Nico] That's bullshit!
So, just tell me not to race, mate. It's fine.
[engineer] You are not racing, you've been told to hold position.
We need a two-second gap to the car in front to cool the car.
[commentator] The fight between Ricciardo and HÃ¼lkenberg
seems to have backed off a little touch now.
[commentator] Daniel Ricciardo finishes sixth and Nico in seventh.
At last, a good result for Renault.
[engineer] Okay, Nico, chequered flag.
Brilliant job, mate, absolutely fantastic.
[Nico] I was asked not to race Daniel, not to attack him,
which, obviously, as a driver, is always frustrating
to get that radio call, you know, from the team,
'cause we're here to race and we want to fight
and we want to show we're better than the other.
The team is kind of under pressure to secure a good result, you know,
and I just wanted to bring it over the line, to bring it home,
which I see the point, but I also see my frustration.
[engineer] I know it's a bit frustrating, but you did a fantastic job today, mate.
Absolutely excellent. Thank you very much.
Um...
Yeah, I mean, we talked about it at length after the race and...
It was just one of those things that can happen, but, um...
Yeah.
There's not much more to say, to be honest.
[indistinct chatter]
- All good? - Yeah. Well done, mate. Congratulations.
- Thanks. - Thank you.
- No worries. - We're back in the race now.
Yeah. It's good for the team.
- [man] Hey, Danny. - [Daniel] Hi.
[chuckles]
[Cyril speaking French]
- [in French] Thank you. - Thank you.
- [man in English] Daniel, you all right? - Cheers, man.
There is one thing that's very strong in our team, loyalty.
Loyalty towards people and loyalty towards Nico is extremely high.
So, I wouldn't say that he's suddenly been
relinquished to a secondary role.
He's still the Nico of before.
[aeroplane engine starting]
[Nico] When are we getting the Renault F1 team jet?
- [Cyril] When you do your first podium. - [laughs]
[Nico] Ask him about his drivers, what he thinks, if he's happy with them...
so far.
He doesn't dare to ask me directly.
So, you are acting as a shrink for our couple.
We are not sure where we are going.
Is it a long-term thing?
Are you ready for this? Are we ready for this?
[chuckles]
Oh, look, the sea.
[Cyril] And something I want to do differently in future is...
We had to tell the two guys at the end of the race
not to race each other,
but we are now in a position where I think that we can let them race.
Not sure about this weekend.
We'll see how we are in terms of competitiveness.
- Uh... - [Nico] Yes or no?
Yes or no, but we'll know just before the race.
We still have three days to go.
[interviewer] Is that all right for you?
- I'm not gonna answer that question. - Aw!
[tense music playing]
[fans cheering]
[host] So, here we are. Home Grand Prix.
- How is your French coming along? - [mutters]
[in French] So-so.
[in English] Hey! You got it.
Uh, Nico, and how's your French?
Yeah. Just as good as Daniel's.
Sounds it.
And Alain Prost, ladies and gentlemen.
[crowd cheering]
When you have a team, two drivers...
your main competitor is always your teammate.
[in French] Long live France, long live France.
[crowd cheering]
[host in English] Having moved away from home...
[crowd chanting] Daniel!
[Alain] Talking only about the drivers, for sure, we have to be careful
that we do not have a number one and a number two.
That does not exist and we don't want to have that.
[Daniel] What's your dream, Cyril?
[crowd] Ah!
[in French] That's easy... Easy.
To win with these two boys.
[Alain in English] But it's difficult when you have two drivers
because, to be equal, to treat the people in the equal way...
- You know? - [host] Question for Daniel.
Daniel, how do you feel being the funniest driver on the grid?
Thank you. I'm very funny. I agree.
Uh, also very good-looking.
I worked on that for a long time.
Uh, but without surgery. Just with age.
Like a fine wine. Like a French wine.
- [Cyril] The nose, maybe, Daniel. - Beautiful.
- [Cyril] The nose. - Yeah!
[Daniel] Maybe the nose could do with some work.
[chuckles]
[host] Ladies and gents, please put your hands together.
Thank the guys for coming out.
Wish Renault luck this weekend and for the rest of the season.
[crowd cheering]
Thank you very much! Merci!
- Merci. Merci. - Thank you.
[host] Danke schÃ♪n.
And...
[Will] Nico HÃ¼lkenberg holds the unenviable record
of the longest career in Formula 1 without having ever stepped on a podium.
As a driver so used to success through junior career,
to have never stood on a Formula 1 podium has got to hurt.
What are you doing? What do you want, huh?
We need to talk, you and I?
Hmm?
And there's no way he doesn't think about it.
What's the next thing now?
[exhales]
[Nico] Come on, homie, show me what you have.
[Daniel in funny accent] Nico HÃ¼lkenberg.
- That came down really well. "HÃ¼lkenberg." - It was good, huh?
- [in funny accent] Ricciardo. - It was funny.
So, your pronunciation auf Deutsch.
- Nico. - HÃ¼lkenberg.
Nico HÃ¼lkenberg.
- HÃ¼lkenberg. - [imitating German Accent] HÃ¼lkenberg.
HÃ¼lkenberg.
- [Daniel] What are your best moments? - It's a very short list.
Aww, is... I mean, the first thing that comes to my mind is Le Mans.
Was it one of your best?
I suppose so, in racing, yeah.
- I mean... - GP2 championship.
I haven't won anything here, so what can I say?
- Yeah. - [imitating Ricciardo] Yeah!
[both laugh]
Asshole.
It's okay. I remember that feeling.
[indistinct chatter]
[gasps]
Oh, my God! [chuckles]
[indistinct chatter]
[Daniel] Naturally, you don't want a teammate to be the next best thing
and ruin your career early.
[whistles] I like avocado.
You know, if that teammate kicks your ass,
then, yeah, your career can be in jeopardy,
so there might always be a little threat whenever you have a new teammate.
- Now you have to pay. - Yeah, I know.
It's hard to feel sorry for a competitor.
Maybe there's been people luckier than him,
but there's certainly been a lot of people more unlucky, so...
All of us are in it for ourselves, at the end of the day.
It's also business.
It's how it works.
[man] Bon appétit.
Bonne journée!
[man] Au revoir.
[chuckles] It is what it is, I guess. It's the nature of the beast.
What's the time?
We can start drinking now.
It's five o'clock somewhere.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd whistling and screaming]
[Nico] Daniel, I mean, he's a cool guy.
He's genuine, he's fast.
I think we have a very good relationship, actually.
I think we're both obviously quite mature.
[Daniel imitating German accent] Nico... HÃ¼lkenberg!
No games. I mean, no problems on that side.
[Daniel imitating German accent] Nico... HÃ¼lkenberg!
We have to race now.
We do.
[both speaking French]
[commentator] A lot of support here for Renault.
Daniel Riccardo getting into Q3 for the fourth time in this season.
Nico HÃ¼lkenberg being outqualified by his teammate
for the seventh time this season.
[Cyril] It's fantastic to have the opportunity to race in your homeland.
The French heritage is still very, uh, strong, uh, within Renault.
[commentator speaking French]
[band playing "La Marseillaise"]
♪ Allons, enfants de la patrie ♪
♪ Le jour de gloire est arrivé ♪
[crowd cheering]
Racing in front of your home public, in your home country,
it's important to do as good as you can.
But, obviously, you have this huge pressure
to improve the performance of the team.
Canada was clearly good news, but the start of the season has been
probably the most challenging experience in my career so far.
We had an objective to be closer to the top teams this year.
We had a good season last year. We finished fourth in the championship.
But this year, we are not performing well.
[commentator] Just over 20 minutes to lights out here in France.
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] As the Renault sits there, the calm before the storm.
[Cyril] Bonjour.
- All good? - Think so, yeah.
- [Cyril] Smiling? - Smiling, yeah.
[Cyril] Okay.
When I'm upset, I say it, but when I smile, I smile.
So, let's enjoy it.
[Will] Of course, Cyril's under pressure.
But particularly so when you promised to take your team back to the top.
[commentator] Big pressure on this race for Renault. Their home Grand Prix.
[engines revving]
[commentator] We're racing in France!
Daniel has to go for it today.
[engineer] So, gap to Gasly is 1.1.
Do you want to clear him quickly?
So, we have scenario one available if you need to.
[Daniel] Okay.
Yes! Come on! Whoo!
[engineer] Grosjean's next, he's doing 39.1.
Okay, nice job, mate.
Box to overtake.
[Daniel] Understood.
[engineer] Let's keep your status up now.
- [Nico] How many laps to go? - [engineer] Two more laps.
[Nico] Oh, man. What a bitch, this traffic.
[commentator] Lando Norris has got to defend for all his might here
with two Renault cars chasing after the McLaren.
And here comes Daniel Ricciardo!
Hard competitive racing from Ricciardo.
Oh! He's going wide now.
Oh, I would suggest the stewards are gonna take a look at this.
[engineer] P7. Well done, mate, well done. P7.
[man] Shit. That might be dodgy.
He's off the track.
[engineer] That...
We're gonna get five... We could get five seconds for that.
- Yeah. - [man] That's gonna fuck everything.
[Cyril] That's what I thought.
[in French] We will be penalized because all four tires were off the track.
We are losing our standing.
- [man] We are losing our standing? - We will be losing five seconds
and five seconds will mean ten.
[commentator in English] Ultimately, it's another disappointing result for Renault.
With Ricciardo stripped of his points,
the team are still stuck in fifth place.
[Cyril] We underdelivered, underperformed, and it's tough to accept.
The harsh reality, that's coming back to you.
I know that if I don't deliver, my life expectancy is very limited.
So, that pressure requires me, as a leader,
to make sure that we make some strategic decisions for the future.
[Will] Cyril's going to have to make a decision.
They have one superstar driver locked in for two seasons in Daniel Ricciardo.
So, if they wanna make a change on the driver front,
there's only one place that they can do that.
[reporter] Moving into 2020, uh,
what does this mean for your driver situation in the future?
Well, no, you know, frankly, the situation is clear.
We have a two-year contract with Daniel. Uh...
Nico's contract initial term is coming to an end at the end of this year,
but we need to look at the options, like everyone is doing.
[reporter] And to follow up on that,
is there any chance you wanna have another look
- at having Esteban Ocon in the team? - [chuckles]
[upbeat music playing]
This year, I'm the reserve driver for Mercedes.
[host] Esteban Ocon!
Toto Wolff from Mercedes!
[crowd cheering]
[Esteban] Toto is the team principal, but he is also managing me.
Esteban, when will you drive a Formula 1 car?
Definitely, there are a lot of talks at the moment, so...
Everything is following its path
and hopefully, you know, we will find a way
and I will be back in a race car very soon.
[commentator] Now, here comes Esteban Ocon in the Force India.
[Esteban] 2018, of course, was not a great end of the season. Um...
[commentator] Perez gets past Ocon
as they now accelerate towards the fastest part of the circuit.
And the two Force Indias made contact!
[commentator] Once again, they have touched.
[Esteban] Guys, what the fuck?
Unfortunately, I lost the seat for 2019.
I'm so hungry to get back
because it's been so long since I have been on the grid.
For us, it is always about setting the right objectives.
And last year, we were promised a contract for Esteban with Renault.
And then suddenly, Daniel Ricciardo made himself available.
So, it didn't happen.
[Esteban] When you're out... you can be out forever.
- [man] Silly season. - I didn't hear your silly question.
- Can you repeat it? - [man] Yeah. [chuckles]
What's silly season?
I don't know. [scoffs]
You define silly season.
What is silly season?
[man] I don't know. I'm not from this world.
No? Me neither.
- I just... - [both chuckling]
It's when everyone mingles.
You know, it's that game
when everyone's standing up, walking around the chairs
and as long as the music's up, you're walking,
and then when the music stops,
you need to sit down as fast as possible and take a seat.
That's the game we're playing right now.
- [man] Is it happening now? - It's happening right now.
[Toto in French] Hi, Cyril.
What are you doing this evening?
[in English] Oh, okay.
[in French] When are you leaving?
What about dinner?
Yes, that's a good idea.
Listen, I've got the cameras on me, by the way, right now.
You know I've got Esteban in the car with me.
But don't worry, he doesn't know what we're talking about.
Esteban, do you want to ask Cyril anything?
You know what I want to ask him.
He says, "You know what I want to say to him."
Okay. Let's talk later. Bye.
[man in English] There's loads of rumors, always,
isn't there? I mean, I heard...
- I love rumors. - [man] Yeah!
I mean, I heard Ocon replacing you at Renault.
Those things. What do you think about all those rumors?
Just part of the game, part of F1, during that silly season, somehow.
[man] But what's your prediction? What do you think will happen with you?
No prediction for now.
This weekend, let's perform.
As always, the most important thing is you need to perform.
Then you're attractive and sexy.
You're really breaking my balls here, man.
- [man] I know. I know. - Fucking hell.
- [man] Haven't even had breakfast yet. - Yeah.
You can be lucky.
I had my first coffee, otherwise you'd be right out the window.
[both laugh]
[commentator] A very wet day here in Hockenheim.
[commentator] If there is one driver who can take advantage
of the poor conditions today,
gotta say, Nico HÃ¼lkenberg. It's his home race.
It's good because we followed your advice, to stay out or something like that.
- When? - Last year, here.
Yeah, but it was only a few drops.
[commentator] So, we've had huge rain overnight and this morning as well.
Light rain for the next half an hour to an hour is the message.
Anything could happen here in the rain today.
[Nico] To take the podium
is what I've been dreaming about and worked towards
since I'm eight years old.
I think I have what it takes to put a car...
You know, onto the podium.
Just need to be ready, um, focused.
Perfect.
Nico, this year, is the last year of the initial term of our agreement.
But there is also an option in place
so that we can continue our journey together.
And that's why I know that, uh,
in everything that's happening on track and off track,
he's got that in the back of his mind.
[Nico] If I get onto the podium,
there's options to continue with Renault.
I know what I have to do.
This is my last chance.
[commentator] And it's lights out and away we go. It's a tentative start.
No grip whatsoever.
HÃ¼lkenberg's down in eighth place.
Down the inside goes the Renault of Nico HÃ¼lkenberg and Romain Grosjean
and HÃ¼lkenberg and Grosjean touch.
[Nico] I had contact with the Haas.
But I think the front is okay.
[engineer] Copy, Nico.
[commentator] Oh! Off the road, there.
The McLaren is off and Carlos Sainz has gone off the track.
[Nico] The track was wetter.
You know, those races always tend to be crazy
and very eventful.
[commentator] Charles Leclerc's going for it down
on the inside into turn one.
Magnussen cutting behind him. Leclerc's gone a bit wide, but he's ahead.
[engineer] Nico, if you've got any pace in hand, we need to use it now.
[commentator] And now the Renault of Nico HÃ¼lkenberg says, "Thank you very much,
Charles Leclerc, you've just earned me a place, there."
[engineer] Nice work, Nico.
You are now P7.
[engineer] Okay, Daniel.
How's the track? How's the track?
[Daniel] Struggling still. Locking the left front.
[engineer] Okay, understood.
[engineer] So, gap to Raikkonen unchanged.
Okay, Nico, overtake is available.
Nice work, Nico.
So, you are P5, mate. Great job so far.
[commentator] That is Daniel Ricciardo
and that looks like a massive engine problem.
[Daniel] I have a lot of smoke coming out.
[engineer] Yeah, we may have an exhaust leak.
Stop the car, please, stop the car.
[Daniel] Yeah, it's shut off.
[commentator] And not much really to say about that for Renault.
[engineer] Okay, Nico, so you are P4 now, P4.
[Nico] Yeah, I was performing very well. I had a really strong pace.
I was well up in the field.
[engineer] The rain is getting a bit heavier, Nico.
If you're happy to stay on these tires, then that's good for us.
[Nico] Yeah, I think you're right.
[Cyril] The team at that moment, making all the right decisions,
perfectly in sync between the elements,
the weather, the track conditions, the driver, pit wall.
[commentator] Bottas is into the pit.
[engineer] Okay, Nico, you are currently P2.
Bottas had to stop for tires. He's behind us now.
[Cyril] I started to realize Nico is on track for the podium.
This is the time.
[commentator] Nico HÃ¼lkenberg, in his home Grand Prix, running in second place.
[commentator] Still just in that tantalizingly close podium position
he's never been able to achieve.
[commentator] I so want Nico HÃ¼lkenberg to finish on the podium.
He deserves a podium finish.
Maybe, just maybe.
[Nico] To take the podium
is what I've been dreaming about and working towards
since I'm eight years old.
[engineer] Okay, let's stay focused. Great job so far.
So, you got Verstappen, who is the race leader, in front of you.
Watch out for possible oil on the track.
[Nico] I'm a bit cautious with turn ten. It's very dangerous here.
[engineer] Copy that, Nico.
[commentator] It's Verstappen losing it!
[man] Oh!
[Nico] Verstappen spun in front of me.
[engineer] So, Verstappen has lost four seconds to you.
[Nico] Okay then, I think it's time to go.
[engineer] Car looks good to us, Nico.
You're doing an excellent job, there, Nico.
[commentator] Look! There is the Renault of Nico HÃ¼lkenberg in the barriers.
And he's ending his home Grand Prix.
[Cyril] Uh... and that was it.
Any chance of maybe of a podium, gone in one blink of a second.
[Nico] I put my wheels, you know, across that curb,
and as soon as I went onto that black tarmac,
I knew that I was fucked.
You know, and that moment was...
Yeah, it was very detrimental. Uh...
Yeah. I don't know how to describe it, but it was... It was super difficult.
That's something that was in his control. He was driving the car.
So, you can't blame the elements,
you can't blame another driver, you can't blame the car.
[man] Shame.
[man] Next time.
The one that got away.
[Cyril] Sometimes, I wish it would go away.
- Sorry? - [Cyril] Sometimes, it could go away.
Yeah.
I know, it's always bad luck.
And the fact that podium, once again, became unavailable to him,
I started to think that maybe there is a curse...
or something between him and that top-three finish.
For the 2020 season, we decided not to renew Nico's contract
and give the seat to Esteban Ocon.
Cyril, once you'd decided on Daniel,
were you always thinking you'd come back for Esteban
at the end of this year?
- Can I say something before we start? - [reporter] Yes, of course.
I'm really happy to have Cyril here.
- Um... - [all chuckle]
Not me?
No, you, I had all the time.
Very difficult to make your way into the top three,
but that's obviously what we are striving to do,
and I do believe that Esteban can help us in doing that.
- Merci. - [man] Thank you.
Merci.
I've always been looking up to Formula 1 and aspiring to it,
then I've done it for ten years, and now it's a solid stop.
It will be quite a shock to the system, obviously.
So, yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see how I cope with that.
[Claire Williams] This is all we did at home when we were growing up.
[George Russell] I feel like we're amateurs.
We need to seriously pull our fingers out.
[Will] Paddy Lowe was supposed to have designed a great car and he didn't.
See you later, Paddy.
This is my place. Obviously, got an amazing view.
Coming back in Toro Rosso, I didn't feel like that was really fair.
[crowd cheering]
I've fully deserved the seat.
- [man yells] - [all screaming]
[man] Fuck off!
[dramatic music playing]