By 1983, the relationship between Hinault and Guimard had deteriorated to a point where the former described their relationship as "war". Hinault forced a choice on the Renault team to either release him or oust Guimard. The team decided to stick with their "directeur sportif", leading Hinault to search for a new team. He joined forces with businessman Bernard Tapie to form the new squad. Their "directeur sportif" became Swiss coach Paul Köchli, who had made a name for himself with innovative and effective training methods, leaving Hinault a lot of freedom while at the same time scientifically measuring his progress. As part of his connection with Tapie, Hinault also contributed to the development of the clipless pedal, created by Look, another company owned by Tapie.