A disappointing outing in Brazil was the fourth time this season that Renault has failed to score any points, though fourth in the final standings is almost a certainty.

With an all-new engine planned for next season, chassis boss Nick Chester has revealed that the French team is making strong progress with its new car.

"There's a lot going on with the 2019 car and we're well advanced in making the first chassis," he said. "We've got the gearbox, which will be tested soon. We're finishing design work for parts such as the cooling, suspension and the bodywork.

"It's flat out at this time of the year as we have to get through a lot of drawings to get the car made," he added. "It's been busy and we're making strong progress."

With Daniel Ricciardo on board for next season the French team will be looking to take a significant step forward, especially having claimed on its return to F1 as a constructor that it was targeting wins by 2020.

However, questionable reliability, not to mention an under-powered engine has left Renault 'best of the rest' this year, albeit well off the pace of the 'big three'.

Indeed, had it not been for Force India's 'issues' mid-season which saw the team placed into administration, it is likely the Silverstone-based outfit would have held off Renault for fourth in the standings.