Renault Sport

Renault Sport Racing/Renault Sport Cars
Divisions
Industry Automotive
Predecessors
  • Renault Sport Technologies
  • Renault Sport F1
Founded 1976 (as Renault Sport)[1]
2 April 2002 (as Renault Sport Technologies)[2]
3 February 2016 (as Renault Sport Racing/Renault Sport Cars)
Revenue Increase €70.3 million (2013)[2][3]
Increase €-4.8 million (2013)[3]
Profit Increase €5.5 million (2013)[3]
Number of employees
 185 (2013) [3]
Parent Renault
Divisions Gordini
Renault Tech
Website www.renaultsport.com

Renault Sport Racing and Renault Sport Cars, both commonly known as Renault Sport (French pronunciation: ​[ʁəno spɔʁ]) or Renaultsport, are the motorsport, performance and special vehicles divisions of Renault. Renault Sport was officially established in 1976 as a merger between the Alpine and Gordini competition departments.[4] Renault Sport Racing organises many Renault-backed one-make championships worldwide and is in charge of Renault group's official involvement in motor racing, including Formula One.

History

A Renault R5 Maxi Turbo
Old Renault Sport's logo used from the mid-1980s to 2004
Renault Alpine A110

Renault Sport was created at the end of 1976, when Renault closed down the Alpine competition department (at that time, its main motorsport division), located at Dieppe, and moved all the racing activities to the Gordini factory at Viry-Châtillon,[5][6] just outside Paris.[6][7][8] The Dieppe-based Alpine department specialised in the construction of race car chassis while the Viry-Châtillon-based Gordini focussed on engines. However, several conflicts emerged between them, and Renault took the decision to unify both departments into a single location in order to achieve a greater integration and harmony.[4] The company concentrated principally on developing a car for Formula One, although it also participated in other series.

In 2002, the Viry-Châtillon factory became the engine department of the Renault F1 team and Renault Sport was moved to Les Ulis and renamed Renault Sport Technologies (RST).[9]

On 3 February 2016, Renault announced a reorganisation of its racing and performance activities. The Formula One operation and RST's former motorsport branch were put under the new Renault Sport Racing division. RST's former roadcar branch at Les Ulis became the Renault Sport Cars division.[10]

Rallying

Gordini-tuned Renault cars won many rallies during the 1950s and 1960s, and Alpine, being a subsidiary of Renault, won the first World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1973. In the WRC, Renault had some success with cars such as the R5 Turbo and the R17 Gordini until it left international rallying in late 1994[11] (although it continued competing in national and promotional rally series).

The European Rally Championship was won three times by a Renault car (1999, 2004, 2005).

On 21 February 2013, Renault Sport Technologies announced its official return to international rallying in the European Rally Championship.[12][13]

Renault's WRC summary

Season Victories WMC Points
1974† United States Press-on-Regardless Rally: France Jean-Luc Thérier (Renault 17 Gordini) 10th 23
1975† - 15th 8
1976 - 14th 6
1977 - 11th 18
1978 - 9th 33
1979 - 7th 41
1980 - 13th 12
1981 Monaco Monte Carlo Rally: France Jean Ragnotti (Renault 5 Turbo) 7th 61
1982 France Tour de Corse: France Jean Ragnotti (Renault 5 Turbo) 6th 34
1983 - 5th 27
1984 - 5th 55
1985 France Tour de Corse: France Jean Ragnotti (Renault R5 Maxi Turbo) 6th 38
1986 Portugal Rally of Portugal: Portugal Joaquim Moutinho (Renault 5 Turbo) 7th 14
1987 - 3rd 71
1988 - 6th 32
1989 Ivory Coast Rallye Côte d'Ivoire: France Alain Oreille (Renault 5 GT Turbo) 7th 30
1990 - 6th 24
1991 - 9th 4
1992 - 8th 9
1993 - NC -
1994 - NC -
Source: [14]

† Without Renault Sport assistance.

JWRC

Year Entrant Car No Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 JWRC Points
2003 Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 61 France Brice Tirabassi MON
1		 TUR
Ret		 GRE
1		 FIN
2		 ITA
Ret		 ESP
1		 GBR
Ret		 1st 38
2004 Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 39 France Nicolas Bernardi MON
1		 GRE
2		 TUR
Ret		 FIN
3		 GBR
Ret		 ITA
6		 ESP
1		 2nd 37
51 Belgium Larry Cols MON
5		 GRE
4		 TUR
Ret		 FIN
6		 GBR
Ret		 ITA
4		 ESP
5		 6th 21
2006 Renault Sport Renault Clio S1600 41 Sweden Patrik Sandell SWE
2		 ESP FRA ARG
2		 ITA
1		 GER FIN
7		 TUR
11		 GBR
6		 1st 32
51 Turkey Fatih Kara SWE ESP
7		 FRA
6		 ARG ITA
Ret		 GER
7		 FIN TUR
9		 GBR
Ret		 16th 7
52 Belgium Bernd Casier SWE ESP
2		 FRA
10		 ARG ITA
Ret		 GER
2		 FIN TUR
8		 GBR
Ret		 11th 17
2007 Renault Sport Renault Clio R3 31 Sweden Patrik Sandell NOR
2		 POR
15		 ITA
8		 FIN
1		 GER
EX		 ESP FRA 6th 19
48 Finland Kalle Pinomäki NOR
10		 POR
9		 ITA
Ret		 FIN
2		 GER
9		 ESP
Ret		 FRA 11th 8

Off-roading

In 1979, the Marreau brothers finished in second place in the cars category at the Rally Dakar driving a Sinpar-prepared 4L 4x4. They won the 1982 edition with a Renault Sport backed Renault 20 Turbo 4x4.[15] Later, Renault Sport powered and sponsored the Schlesser-Renault Elf buggies which won the 1999[16] and 2000 editions.[17] The 1999 car was the first two-wheel drive Dakar winner.[18]

Formula E

A Renault Sport-backed e.dams car driven by Nicolas Prost during the 2014 Punta del Este ePrix weekend

Renault was one of the first car manufacturers involved in the Formula E (FE) championship.[19] For the inaugural season, Renault Sport became a technical partner of the series,[20] also agreeing a title sponsorship deal with the e.dams team[21] which achieved the first FE teams' championship.[19] Before the 2015–16 season, following the introduction of new rules allowing the development of the electric powertrains used in the FE's Spark chassis, Renault announced it would entry as a supplier for e.dams.[19] The new powertrain manufactured by Renault Sport was named Renault ZE 15.[22]

Results of Renault Sport as a powertrain supplier

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position, results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Season Entrant Chassis Powertrain Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Points TC
2015–16 Renault e.dams Spark Renault ZE 15 M China Malaysia Uruguay Argentina TBA United States France Germany Russia United Kingdom United Kingdom 36 2nd
Switzerland Sébastien Buemi 1 12
France Nicolas Prost Ret 10

Formula One

From 1977 to 1986 and again between 1989 and 1997, Renault Sport was in charge of Renault's Formula One programme.[23] Renault Sport F1, created at the end of 2010 and active until 2015, was a subsequent incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula One and was headquartered in Viry-Châtillon, which functioned as a semi-independent operation.[24][25][26] In 2016, the Formula One operation became part of Renault Sport Racing.

Formula Two

Alpine constructed various chassis and prepared engines for Formula Two (F2). In 1973, Renault-Gordini (later Renault Sport) introduced a two-litre V6 engine for F2, the CH, which was the basis of its future Le Mans and F1 engines.[27] Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux won the 1976 and 1977 European Formula Two Championships with Renault-powered cars.[28]

Results of Renault Sport as an engine supplier

1976

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Entrant Chassis Engine Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Driver's Championship Points
Écurie Elf Martini 16/19 Renault-Gordini CH1 West Germany United Kingdom Italy Austria France West Germany France Italy Italy Portugal France West Germany
France Patrick Tambay 3 3 2 3 Ret 3 Ret 3 Ret Ret 1 Ret 3rd 39
France René Arnoux 2 7 Ret 4 1 5 10 2 1 1 Ret 3 2nd 52
Equipe Elf Switzerland Jabouille 2J France Jean-Pierre Jabouille Ret 14 1 6 3 4 2 1 4 2 Ret 1 1st 53
France Michel Leclère Ret Ret 4 1 Ret 2 Ret Ret Ret 8 3 2 4th 33
1977

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Entrant Chassis Engine Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Driver's Championship Points
Écurie Renault Elf Martini 22 Renault-Gordini CH1 United Kingdom United Kingdom West Germany West Germany Italy France Italy France France Italy Italy Portugal United Kingdom
France René Arnoux 1 Ret 2 5 Ret 1 16 Ret 1 Ret 1 2 6 1st 52
France Didier Pironi Ret Ret Ret 4 2 2 Ret 3 Ret 4 5 1 3 3rd 38
Willi Kauhsen Renault Elf Racing Team Kauhsen (Jabouille 2J) France Michel Leclère Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret DNS DNQ 15 DNQ 10 — 0
West Germany Klaus Ludwig Ret Ret Ret 8 DSQ 7 — 0
France José Dolhem Ret — 0
France Alain Prost 10 Ret — 0
Italy Vittorio Brambilla Ret — 0
Portugal Mario da Silva DNQ — 0

Note: During this season Scuderia Everest also entered Renault-powered cars, although those were not supplied by Renault Sport.

Formula Three

Gordini and Alpine-tuned Renault engines were used in various Formula Three (F3) series since the 1960s. Alpine (a partially owned subsidiary of Renault since 1973) also developed cars for the category.[27] In 1979, Alain Prost won the FIA European Formula Three Championship with a Renault engine prepared by Oreca. The last victory of a Renault engine before its withdrawal from the formula at the end of 2003 was in the 2003 Macau Grand Prix with a Sodemo-tuned unit from a Signature Team's Dallara car driven by Nicolas Lapierre.[29][30]

Renault Sport Technologies announced its return to F3 as an engine supplier with Oreca again as engine tuner for the 2014 FIA European Formula Three Championship.[31] However, this was indefinitely halted because of the lack of power of the Oreca-tuned engine compared to rivals.[32]

Sportscars

Renault Sport was responsible for Renault's sports car racing entries during the 1970s, including their win at the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans race with the Renault Alpine A442.[33]

Touring cars

Capitalising on the growing reputation and success of the Super Touring regulations introduced in the early 1990s, Renault made the decision to enter the British Touring Car Championship in 1993 with reigning champion Tim Harvey and Alain Menu signed as their drivers.[34] Renault's first BTCC effort was based on the Renault 19 chassis, initially developed by test driver Jean Ragnotti. Success was almost immediate as Harvey and Menu scored a win each in 1993, before the 19 was replaced with the new Renault Laguna for 1994. The Laguna lent itself as a more competitive proposition than it's predecessor and went on to be a highly successful car throughout its racing life, the highlight being in 1997 when Alain Menu took 12 victories on his way to the championship.[35]

Hillclimbing

In 2011, a Dacia Duster car prepared for Renault Sport Technologies, Sodemo and Tork Engineering and fitted with a Nissan GT-R engine participated at the Pike's Peak hillclimbing.[36]

Car manufacturing

In 1994, Renault discontinued the Alpine marque, badging since then its sport cars manufactured at the Dieppe factory as Renault Sport.[37] Renault Sport models are also produced at Renault Spain's Palencia factory (Mégane Renault Sport)[38] and, since 2012, at Renault Argentina's Santa Isabel (Fluence GT).[39]

Current models

Divisions

RST is in charge of the conception and manufacturing of the Gordini-badged sport cars[40] and also of modifying cars and vans for special purposes (transporting people with reduced mobility, driving school cars, business fleets) through its division Renault Tech.[41][42]

Sites

Activities

Renault Sport articulated lorrys with extended tents, representing Renault at Silverstone for the Renault World Series.

Championships

Renault Sport organises several national and international one-make racing championships.

International

A Renault Fluence TC2000 touring car. Since 2011 Renault Sport's Argentinian division has the control of the Renault's official TC2000 team

Many international subsidiaries of Renault have their own Renault Sport division, including Renault UK,[43] Renault Argentina,[44] Renault Spain and Renault Italy,[45] among others.

Renault in motorsport

Renault is also involved in other racing series but not as Renault Sport.

References

  1. ↑ "Jean Redele". Grandprix.com. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Renault Sport Technologies". societes.com (in French). Groupe Adverline. Archived from the original on 30 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Renault Sport Technologies". manageo.fr (in French). Manageo. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  4. 1 2 Smith, Roy P (2010). "The Winds of Change: 1974–1979". Alpine Renault: – The fabulous berlinettes. Veloce Publishing. pp. 180–181. ISBN 978-1-845844-04-2.
  5. ↑ "Jean Redele". Grandprix.com. August 15, 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  6. 1 2 "CONSTRUCTORS: RENAULT F1". Grandprix.com. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Renault Sport Technologies". Renault Group's Motorsport website. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  8. ↑ "Viry-Châtillon: 30 years of innovation and expertise". Pitpass.com. December 12, 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  9. 1 2 "RS Cup" (in French). Clio RS Cup. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Renault launches comprehensive motorsport programme". Renault Sport. 3 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "Renault Manufacturer Profile & Rally History". Rallye-info.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "Renault Sport signs up for the FIA European Rally Championship". Renault Group motorsport website. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  13. ↑ "Renault seals ERC partnership with Michelin and Elf". Renault Group motorsport website. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  14. ↑ http://www.ewrc-results.com
  15. ↑ "RENAULT 20 4X4 PARIS-DAKAR". Renault.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  16. ↑ "Renault Buggy – Dakar 1999". Renaultclub.cz. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  17. ↑ "List of Dakar Rally Car, Truck and Moto Champions". Whoholdsthetitle.com. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  18. ↑ "Dakar – Cairo 2000. The Schlesser-Renault-Elf team out in strength". Renault.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  19. 1 2 3 "Renault ramps up Formula E role to become a constructor for 2015/16". autosport.com. Autosport. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  20. ↑ "Renault signs with Spark Racing Technology and Formula E Holding as Technical Partner in the FIA Formula E Championship". Renault. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  21. ↑ "Formule E - Le plateau prend form" [Formula E - the grid takes form]. Auto Plus France (in French). 2 July 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  22. ↑ "FIA homologates new manufacturer powertrains for Formula E". autosport.com. Autosport. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  23. ↑ "Renault and F1" (PDF). Renault. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  24. ↑ "Jérôme Stoll". Renault Sport F1. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "Renault launches Renault Sport F1. Genii Capital and Group Lotus join forces in Lotus Renault GP". International press website of the Renault Group. Retrieved 7 October 2011. External link in |publisher= (help)
  26. ↑ "RENAULT MAINTAINS ITS COMMITMENT TO F1 AND ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF RENAULT SPORT F1" (PDF). Renault. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  27. 1 2 Smith, Roy P (2010). "The Second Coming". Alpine and Renault: The Sports Prototypes, 1973–1978. Alpine & Renault: The Sports Prototypes. 2. Veloce Publishing. pp. 15–22. ISBN 978-1-84584-226-0.
  28. ↑ "Renault Sport F1 Press Kit" (PDF). Renault Finland. p. 4. Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  29. ↑ "Two big names to return to Formula 3 stage". Flagword.com. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  30. ↑ "Renault gears up for Formula 3 return with ORECA". autosport.com. Autosport. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  31. ↑ O'Leary, Jamie (12 November 2013). "Renault announces its return to Formula 3 with ORECA". autosport.com. Autosport. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  32. ↑ Simmons, Marcus (18 April 2014). "Renault F3 race debut put on hold by Signature". autosport.com. Autosport. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  33. ↑ Long, Brian (2008). "1978". Porsche Racing Cars: 1976 to 2005. Veloce Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-90478-845-4.
  34. ↑ http://www.btccpages.com/entry-list/1993/
  35. ↑ http://www.renaultsport.co.uk/press-centre/general/40-years-of-renault-uk-motorsport/
  36. ↑ "Dacia Duster Pikes Peak racer revealed". Top Gear. BBC. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  37. ↑ "Sport Divisions in the Spotlight - Renault Sport". Autoevolution.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  38. ↑ "Mégane Renault Sport". Renault. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  39. ↑ "Renault Fluence GT 2013: "La exacta combinación de Performance y Diseño"" [Renault Fluence GT:The exact combination of Performance and Design] (in Spanish). InfoAuto.com. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  40. ↑ "Renault Sport range". Renault. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  41. ↑ "HEUDEBOUVILLE - RENAULT TECH". Renault. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  42. ↑ "RENAULT TECH". Renault. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  43. ↑ "Renault Sport UK Race Calendar Finalised". Renault Sport UK. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  44. 1 2 "Renault Sport presentó su equipo de Super TC2000. Ahora se viene el de Rally?" (in Spanish). Rallynoticias.com. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  45. ↑ "About". Renault Sport Italia. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  46. ↑ TC2000 Historia tc2000.com.ar
  47. ↑ Springbok Series classicscars.com
  48. ↑ 24 Hours of Le Mans classicscars.com
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