Kevin Magnussen and rookie Jolyon Palmer have led the team on its return to F1 following Renault’s takeover of Lotus in December, with Magnussen scoring its only points so far this season in Russia. Vasseur says both drivers are improving as the year goes on while the team tries to rebuild following a number of years of financial difficulty.
“It’s not easy for them either,” he told the official Formula 1 website. “They have been used to winning in the past – and now they are cut off from that.
“I see both of them improving. Keep in mind that Jo is a rookie and Kevin did only one season [of F1] before – and that was two years ago.
“Jo has been improving a lot – true he spun in Hungary, but so far he did a good job. And that also goes for Kevin. Both have a very optimistic approach. They are a good support for the team.”
However, Vasseur believes future success for Renault will need to come with a lead driver as the focal point for the team.