RENAULT : A TURBO SAGA FOR 40 YEARS

Renault sees motorsport in general, and Formula 1 in particular, as a laboratory and showcase for its technological know-how. In addition to Renault’s passion for sporting challenges and its taste for victory, motorsport is a fantastic opportunity for developing leading-edge technologies that later benefit production vehicles, either directly or indirectly.

Since 1977, Renault’s Formula 1 commitment has made it a major player in the discipline, recognized not just for its titles but also for the innovations featured on its single-seaters and those that it has powered to success. It all began with the famous turbocharged V6 engine fit on the Renault RS01, which stood as a complete revolution at the time. Once the novelty, initial hitches and jeering were over, success came fast. July 1, 1979 marked a true turning point in the history of the turbo, with Jean-Pierre Jabouille winning the French Grand Prix in his RS 10 on the Dijon-Prenois track and bringing Renault its first victory in the Formula 1 World Championship. René Arnoux’s third-place finish, after a Homeric battle with Gilles Villeneuve in his Ferrari 312T, rounded out the success of the young team. Renault had revolutionized motorsport. For the first time, a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine had triumphed over the traditional normally aspirated 3.0 liter powerplants competing in the premier class competition. The victory at the 1979 French Grand Prix was the first in a long series of triumphs for Renault, which has notched up 177 wins and 507 top-three finishes in the category (chassis and engines).

The heritage of this major innovation having revolutionized Formula 1 continues today, as seen in the return of the V6 hybrid turbo engines to Formula 1 in 2014. This achievement pays testament to Renault’s vision. By taking up the challenge of the new regulation, Renault has drawn on all of its expertise as a Formula 1 engine supplier to further technological innovation. This is a major advantage for its production models, and has been for 40 years now.