Renault launches its 2018 F1 design

The RS18, sporting a revised livery that features more black than yellow, is the third offering from the French manufacturer since it returned as a works team in 2016.

It will be driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr, who joined the team with four races to go in 2017 ahead of a full-season tilt this year.

Renault improved from ninth in the 2016 constructors' championship to sixth in '17, pipping Toro Rosso at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

The team's development through 2017 was dramatic and it ended the campaign with the fourth fastest car on merit, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul wants to continue that upward trajectory this term.

"Last year was successful in many ways," he said.

"It was the second year in our rebuilding and a further step towards our long-term plans and aims.

"2016 was all about recruiting, investing, bringing in new sponsors, new talents and building our brand.

"It was a quantified progression towards what we want to become and challenging the top teams.

"Our headline target [for 2018] is to show continued progression through results.

"We want to be able to showcase our progression in every regard; power unit, chassis, operations, drivers.

"Everything must improve and we must continue to grow.

"We want to demonstrate this in many different ways, from the teams we will be directly racing against, to the gap to the leaders, including also our fan base and the respect that our team will inspire in our way we behave on and off track."

Renault follows Haas, Williams, Red Bull and Sauber in unveiling a 2018 F1 design.

"Since taking over from the previous owners, Renault has been spending its time and money restructuring its chassis base at Enstone, but you can only use that excuse for so long and 2018 is the year that it needs to start producing results on the track.

"With Red Bull and McLaren now using its power unit, there are very few places for Renault to hide. In reality, that is the same for Red Bull and McLaren so it will be good to see this three-team battle.

"I don't expect Renault to do the same as Mercedes does when you compare it to its customer teams but respectability will be nipping at Red Bull and McLaren's heels.

"The new car doesn't jump out at me as being a major change in philosophy from last year. Actually, the only 2018 cars that do that so far are the Williams and Sauber.

"The detail looks very similar to what Renault had at the end of 2017. Optimising what was probably the fourth-fastest car then is one thing, but it will take a lot more than that to move forward into the top three."

Gary Anderson's in-depth analysis of the RS18 will appear on Autosport later on Tuesday