Renault: Space for the sister team 🎥
END OF AN ERA The Abu Dhabi GP was the last time a Renault works team competed in Formula 1. It will be succeeded by its sister company Alpine from 2021. Time for a brief look back. In 2019, Renault celebrated the 40th anniversary of its first victory. The legendary duel between winner Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux in the Ferrari, seen at the beginning of the [...]
In 2019, Renault celebrated the 40th anniversary of its first victory. The legendary duel between winner Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux in the Ferrari, seen at the beginning of the film, went down in history.
With 43 years of involvement in Formula 1, Renault is one of the most traditional players in Grand Prix racing. On July 16, 1977, the Renault RS01, the brand's first monoposto, rolled onto the starting line at the British Grand Prix and made motorsport history as the first turbocharged Formula 1 car. Jean-Pierre Jabouille was at the wheel.
Breakthrough in the third GP season
With the RS10, Jabouille clinched the first GP victory for Renault at the 1979 French Grand Prix on the Dijon-Prenois circuit in France and the first ever turbo victory in Formula 1.
With this success, Renault revolutionized motorsport. The turbo concept soon proved so successful that no constructor could ignore it. Soon the manufacturer was also supplying customer teams with its turbocharged V6 engines.
Successful engine customers
Following the withdrawal of the works racing team in 1986, Renault returned to Formula 1 as an engine supplier in 1989 with a new naturally aspirated V10 engine. In the 1990s, the engine developed into the measure of all things and guaranteed five constructors' world championship titles with Williams in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997.
Benetton, another world champion team, was added in 1995. The French powerhouse also helped five drivers to world championship honors.
Two world championship titles with Alonso
From 2002, Renault once again entered the race with a works team. Success came quickly: Fernando Alonso won the first race in Hungary in 2003.
The final breakthrough followed in 2005: with eight victories, the Renault F1 team won the constructors' world championship title with the R25 chassis and the RS25 V10 engine. Fernando Alonso became drivers' world champion.
Even after the switch to V8 engines, Renault again developed a winning package that helped the works team, with the Spaniard as the spearhead, to its second double world championship victory in a row.
During the Abu Dhabi GP, Fernando Alonso drove a few laps in a freshly restored Renault R25, his world champion car from 2005. Many fans miss those shrill V10 sounds.
Renault gives Red Bull wings
After the works team withdrew again in 2010, Renault continued to be successful as an engine supplier: in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, the brand helped the Red Bull Racing Team to four crowns in the constructors' championship and Sebastian Vettel to four drivers' world championships.
Comeback in 2016
As part of the switch to hybrid drives with extensive energy recovery systems, Renault was once again active in the premier class with a works team from 2016. The 2020 season was the most successful.
The highlight was Esteban Ocon's second place in the Sakhir GP on December 6. Prior to that, Daniel Ricciardo finished third twice to secure the Renault DP World F1 Team's first podium finishes in its final season. The French team finished the season in fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.
With the same Renault engines, the McLaren customer team achieved third place overall. The Alpine F1 Team, which is largely made up of the previous Renault team, aims to build seamlessly on 2020. With Fernando Alonso returning to the team, it is sure to attract a lot of media attention either way.
