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Renault
Renault F1 Team logo 2019.svg
Full name Renault Formula 1 Team
Base Viry-Châtillon, Essonne, France (1977–1985)
Enstone, Oxfordshire, England, UK (2002–2011, 2016–2020)
Noted staff Bernard Dudot
Jean Sage
Patrick Faure
Bob Bell
Éric Boullier
Alain Dassas
Alan Permane
James Allison
Flavio Briatore
Mike Gascoyne
John Iley
Steve Nielsen
Pat Symonds
Dino Toso
Dirk de Beer
Frédéric Vasseur
Rob White
Cyril Abiteboul
Nick Chester
Pat Fry
Noted drivers Spain Fernando Alonso
France Alain Prost
France René Arnoux
Italy Giancarlo Fisichella
France Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Italy Jarno Trulli
Previous name Benetton Formula
(1986–2001)
Lotus F1 Team
(2012–2015)
Next name Alpine F1 Team
Formula One World Championship career
First entry 1977 British Grand Prix
Last entry 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Races entered 403 (400 starts)
Engines Renault
Constructors'
Championships
2 (2005, 2006)
Drivers'
Championships
2 (2005, 2006)
Race victories 35
Podiums 103
Points 1777
Pole positions 51
Fastest laps 33
Renault as a Formula One engine manufacturer
Formula One World Championship career
First entry 1977 British Grand Prix
Last entry 2019 Monaco Grand Prix
Races entered 660 (657 starts)
Chassis Renault, Lotus (1983–1986), Ligier, Tyrrell, Williams, Benetton, Red Bull, Lotus (2011), Lotus (2012–2014), Caterham, Toro Rosso, McLaren, Alpine
Constructors' Championships 12 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Drivers'
Championships
11 (1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Race victories 168
Podiums 459
Points 7746.5
Pole positions 213
Fastest laps 176

Renault, a car company from France, has been a big part of Formula One racing since 1977. They have been involved in two main ways: owning their own racing team and making engines for other teams.

In 1977, Renault joined Formula One as a team, bringing in the first turbo engine. This was a big change for the sport. By 1983, they also started selling their engines to other teams. Even though the Renault team won some races, they stopped racing as a full team at the end of 1985. However, their engines were still used by other teams until 1986.

Renault came back to Formula One in 1989, focusing on making engines. They were very successful, winning many championships with teams like Williams and Benetton between 1992 and 1997. They stopped their official engine support after 1997, but their engines were still used by other teams for a few more years.

In 2000, Renault bought the Enstone-based Benetton Formula team. They became an engine maker again in 2001. In 2002, the team was renamed Renault. This team then won both the drivers' and constructors' championships in 2005 and 2006.

By 2011, Renault sold its shares in the Enstone team. They continued to make engines for other teams, winning four more championships with Red Bull Racing between 2010 and 2013.

The company bought the Enstone team again in 2016 and renamed it Renault. The team did not win any races in the next five seasons. In 2021, it was renamed Alpine, with Renault still providing the engines.

As a team owner, Renault has won two championships for teams and two for drivers. As an engine maker, they have won 12 team championships and 11 driver championships. They have won over 160 races as an engine supplier, making them one of the most successful engine makers in Formula One history.

Renault as a Racing Team (1977–1985)

Early Years: The Turbo Revolution (1977–1978)

Renault F1 turbo engine in a Lotus 95T John Player Special
Renault's 1.5-litre turbo engine was a new idea in F1.

Renault's first step into Formula One was through their Renault Sport division. They joined the last five races of the 1977 season with Jean-Pierre Jabouille as their driver. Their car, the Renault RS01, was famous for its 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. This was the first regular turbo engine in Formula One.

In the beginning, the car was not very reliable. It often broke down and was even nicknamed the "Yellow Teapot." Despite its power, it struggled to finish races. Their first race was the 1977 British Grand Prix, but the car retired early. They missed some races to improve the car.

In the 1977 Dutch Grand Prix, Jabouille qualified well, but the car's suspension failed. Reliability issues continued in other races. The team even failed to qualify for the 1977 Canadian Grand Prix.

The next year, 1978, was also tough with many engine problems. However, towards the end of the year, the team showed signs of improvement. The RS01 qualified third twice. It finally finished a race at Watkins Glen, earning the team its first Formula One points with a fourth-place finish.

First Win and Becoming a Frontrunner (1979–1983)

Renault RS10 1979
In 1979, the Renault RS10 was the first turbo car to win a Grand Prix.

In 1979, René Arnoux joined Jabouille, and the team grew to two cars. They still had some struggles, but Jabouille got a pole position in South Africa. Later that season, both drivers got a new car, the RS10, which used a special "ground-effect" design.

At the 1979 French Grand Prix, Renault made history. Jabouille won the race, making the RS10 the first turbocharged car to win a Grand Prix. Arnoux also had an exciting battle for second place. Arnoux then finished second in the next two races, showing their success was not just luck.

In 1980, Arnoux won two races in a row in Brazil and South Africa. These races were at high altitudes, where the Renault cars performed very well. Jabouille also won a race in Austria. Sadly, Jabouille had a bad crash at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, which ended his racing career.

Rétromobile 2016 - Renault F1 RE 40 - 1983 - 003
Alain Prost finished second in the 1983 championship with the Renault RE40.

Alain Prost joined the team in 1981. In his three years with Renault, Prost became a Formula One star. The Renault team was one of the best, finishing third in the team championships twice and second once. Prost won nine races with the team, and Arnoux won two more in 1982.

Arnoux left for Ferrari after 1982 and was replaced by Eddie Cheever. In 1983, Renault and Prost were very close to winning the drivers' championship. However, they were just beaten by Nelson Piquet in the last race in South Africa.

End of the First Era (1984–1985)

After the 1983 season, Prost left the team. Renault hired Patrick Tambay and Derek Warwick. The team was not as strong in 1984 and 1985 as other teams had improved their turbo engines.

In 1985, Renault made another F1 first. They used a third car in the 1985 German Grand Prix that had the first-ever live in-car camera for TV viewers. The car, driven by François Hesnault, retired early. By 1985, Renault faced money problems. They decided to stop being a full racing team and only supply engines for the 1986 season, before leaving F1 entirely at the end of that year.

Renault F1 Team: The Enstone Era (2002–2011)

Return to F1 and Early Success (2000–2004)

On March 16, 2000, Renault bought the Benetton Formula team. This team had started as Toleman Motorsport in 1981 and moved to Enstone, England, in 1992. Renault kept the Benetton name for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. The Renault name returned as an engine brand in 2001. In 2002, the team was officially renamed Renault F1.

Button Silverstone 2002
Jenson Button racing for Renault in 2002.

In 2002, Renault F1 raced with Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button. They scored 23 points. Renault also changed its racing license to French.

Jarno Trulli 2003
Jarno Trulli driving for Renault in 2003.

For 2003, Button was replaced by Fernando Alonso, who had been a test driver. Alonso won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix, which was Renault's first Grand Prix win since 1983. Renault tried new engine designs during this time, like a special 10-cylinder engine in 2003. However, it was not reliable enough, so they went back to more traditional designs.

Fernando Alonso 2004 USA
Fernando Alonso racing for Renault in 2004.

In 2004, the team aimed for second place in the team championship. Trulli won the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix. However, his relationship with the team boss, Flavio Briatore, became difficult. Trulli left the team early and was replaced by Jacques Villeneuve for the last three races. The team finished third in the championship.

Back-to-Back Championships (2005–2006)

Fernando Alonso 2005 Britain
Fernando Alonso racing for Renault in 2005.

Giancarlo Fisichella joined Renault for the 2005 season. He won the first race in Australia. Fernando Alonso then won the next three races, building a big lead in the drivers' championship. Renault also led the team championship.

Alonso secured the drivers' title at the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver to do so at the time. Renault then won the team championship at the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix. This was Renault's first team title as a manufacturer. It also ended Ferrari's six-year winning streak.

Renault RS26 engine 2006
The Renault team's 2006 engine, the RS26.
2006 Malaysian Grand Prix
Giancarlo Fisichella won the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix for Renault.

Alonso and Fisichella stayed for 2006. Alonso won the first race in Bahrain and the Australian Grand Prix. Fisichella won in Malaysia, giving Renault a one-two finish. Alonso continued to win races, including his home Grand Prix in Spain and the Monaco Grand Prix.

The team celebrated its 200th Grand Prix at Silverstone, which Alonso won. Alonso also won the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix.

During 2006, a special system called a "mass damper" was banned by the FIA. Renault had developed this system, and it helped their car's performance. Even though the system was banned, Renault still managed to win the team championship in 2006 at the 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Challenges and Changes (2007–2009)

Giancarlo Fisichella 2007 (crop)
Giancarlo Fisichella driving for Renault in 2007.

For 2007, Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen were the drivers. Renault's performance was not as strong as in previous years. Fisichella finished fifth in Australia, but Kovalainen struggled. The team's pace improved later in the season.

In November 2007, the FIA accused Renault F1 of having secret technical information from McLaren. Renault was found to have the information but was not punished.

Singapore grand prix 2008 alonso win
Fernando Alonso winning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso returned to Renault for 2008, alongside Nelson Piquet Jr.. The team's performance was mixed at the start of the season. Piquet Jr. struggled, but Alonso showed flashes of speed.

At the 2008 German Grand Prix, Piquet Jr. got Renault's first podium of the year, finishing second. Alonso then won the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, which was Renault's first win since 2006. This was also the first Formula One race ever held at night under floodlights. Alonso won again at the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix. By the end of 2008, the Renault car was much stronger.

Renault R29 left 2017 Museo Fernando Alonso
Renault R29 from 2009.
Romain Grosjean 2009 Japan 1st Qualify
Romain Grosjean driving for Renault in 2009.

In 2009, Renault hoped to challenge for championships, but this did not happen. Alonso scored some points, but the car was not fast enough. Alonso got a pole position in Hungary, but had to retire from the race. Piquet Jr. was replaced by Romain Grosjean later in the season.

During 2009, there were serious questions about a crash involving Nelson Piquet Jr. at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. This crash happened just before his teammate Fernando Alonso won the race. After an investigation, the FIA found that Renault had broken the rules. As a result, team principal Flavio Briatore and engineer Pat Symonds left the team. Renault was given a suspended ban from Formula One, meaning they would be kicked out if a similar event happened before the end of 2011.

Selling the Team and Stepping Back (2010–2011)

Kubica Malaysian GP 2010 (cropped)
Robert Kubica racing for Renault in 2010.

In 2010, Renault sold most of its shares in the team to a company called Genii Capital. Renault kept a 25% share and continued to supply engines. Robert Kubica joined as Alonso's replacement, and Vitaly Petrov became his teammate, making him Russia's first Formula One driver.

Vitaly Petrov in the Senna corner
Vitaly Petrov at the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix.

Kubica had a strong season, getting a second-place finish in Australia and a third-place in Monaco. Petrov also scored his first points in Formula One. The team finished fifth in the constructors' championship.

Renault and Lotus 2011 Malaysia
Nick Heidfeld leads Heikki Kovalainen (Team Lotus) in 2011.

On November 5, 2010, Renault announced they would reduce their involvement in 2011, becoming only an engine supplier. The team was renamed Lotus Renault GP for 2011, under a sponsorship deal with Lotus Cars. Renault continued to provide engines and support. The team also changed its racing license to British.

Renault R31 nose logo 2011 Malaysia
Despite no Renault ownership, the team used the Renault name until the end of 2011.

In February 2011, Robert Kubica was badly injured in a rally accident. Nick Heidfeld was signed to replace him. Petrov got his first and only podium in Formula One, finishing third in Australia. Heidfeld also finished third in Malaysia. The team's performance faded later in the season. Heidfeld was replaced by Bruno Senna for some races.

For the 2012 season, the team was renamed Lotus F1 Team.

Renault Sport Formula One Team (2016–2020)

Return as a Full Team (2016)

Renault Sport F1 logo as of 2016
Renault Sport Formula One Team logo in 2016.
Jolyon Palmer 2016 Malaysia FP2 1
Jolyon Palmer driving for Renault in 2016.

On September 28, 2015, Renault announced they planned to buy back the Lotus F1 Team (the same team they had owned before). On December 3, 2015, Renault confirmed they had bought the team and would race as Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2016.

For 2016, Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer were the drivers. The team finished ninth in the championship with 8 points.

Improving Performance (2017–2018)

Renault Sport Formula One Team logo
The Renault Sport Formula One Team logo (2017–2018).
Nico Hulkenberg 2017 Malaysia FP2 1
Nico Hülkenberg driving for Renault in 2017.

In 2017, Nico Hülkenberg joined the team. Jolyon Palmer stayed for part of the season but was replaced by Carlos Sainz Jr. from the 2017 United States Grand Prix onwards. Sainz had a good start, finishing seventh in his first race with the team. Renault finished sixth in the championship with 57 points.

Hülkenberg and Sainz continued to drive for Renault in 2018. The team had its best result in the constructors' championship, finishing fourth with 122 points.

Ricciardo Era and Final Year (2019–2020)

Niko Hülkenberg-Renault-2019 (2)
Nico Hülkenberg driving for Renault in 2019.
2019 Japanese Grand Prix Daniel Ricciardo (49028922797)
Daniel Ricciardo driving for Renault in 2019.

For 2019, Daniel Ricciardo joined the team to race alongside Hülkenberg. The team faced reliability problems and struggled with their car's design. They finished fifth in the constructors' championship. At the end of the season, Renault made changes to their car design team.

Esteban Ocon joined Renault for the 2020 season, replacing Hülkenberg. The start of the season was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Belgium, Renault had a strong race, finishing fourth and fifth. At the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, Ricciardo scored a third-place finish, which was the team's first podium since 2011. Ricciardo got another third-place finish in Italy. Ocon also finished second at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, his first podium and Renault's third of the season.

Ricciardo finished fifth in the drivers' championship, and Ocon finished twelfth. Renault finished fifth in the constructors' championship with 181 points.

After the 2020 season, the Renault team was rebranded as Alpine for 2021.

Renault as an Engine Supplier (1983–2025)

Early Turbo Engines (1983–1986)

Renault started making engines at their factory in France in 1976. They created the first turbocharged engine in Formula One, a 1.5-litre V6. At first, they only supplied engines to their own team. In 1983, they began selling engines to other teams, starting with Team Lotus.

Williams FW14B (35029084126) (cropped)
Renault won its first titles in 1992 with the Williams-Renault FW14B.

The Lotus team became more competitive with Renault engines, with drivers like Nigel Mansell and Elio de Angelis getting podium finishes. In 1984, Renault also started supplying engines to the Ligier team. In 1985, Ayrton Senna joined Lotus. He won three races with the fast Renault-powered Lotus car, but reliability issues prevented a championship challenge. The Tyrrell team also started using Renault engines in 1985.

After the 1985 season, the Renault racing team left F1, but they continued to supply engines to Ligier, Tyrrell, and Lotus. In 1986, they introduced new engine technology. Renault Sport stopped its engine program at the end of 1986.

Success with Naturally Aspirated Engines (1989–2013)

Renault returned as an engine supplier in 1989 after turbocharged engines were banned. They partnered with the Williams team. Renault created the first V10 engine with special pneumatic valves. The Williams-Renault combination won its first race in 1989.

By 1992, with advanced car technology and better engines, the Williams-Renault car was a championship winner. Driver Nigel Mansell won the drivers' title. Williams won the championship again in 1993 with Alain Prost as driver.

Michael Schumacher - Benetton B195 at the 1995 British Grand Prix, Silverstone (49704066181)
Michael Schumacher driving a Benetton-Renault B195 in 1995.

In 1994, Williams driver Ayrton Senna died in a crash. His teammate Damon Hill became the team leader. Williams won the constructors' championship that year.

In 1995, engine rules changed, and Renault adapted its engine. The Benetton team started using Renault engines. Their driver, Michael Schumacher, won the drivers' title, and Benetton won the constructors' title. Williams won the next two seasons, with Damon Hill winning in 1996 and Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.

Jacques Villeneuve 1996
Jacques Villeneuve's Williams-Renault in 1996. He won the 1997 title with a Renault engine.

Renault left F1 again at the end of 1997. However, their engines were still used by other teams under different names like Mecachrome and Supertec until 2000.

Engine Success with Red Bull (2007–2013)

After buying the Benetton team, Renault did not supply engines to other teams until 2007. They then signed a deal with Red Bull Racing. Red Bull was a midfield team at first.

F1 2013 Jerez test - Red Bull 3
In 2013, Sebastian Vettel won his fourth title in the Renault-powered Red Bull RB9.
Logo Renault Sport F1
The logo used by Renault Sport F1, the official supplier of Renault Formula One engines, between 2011 and 2015.

In 2009, Red Bull won their first race with Renault engines. Drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber won five more races, and the team finished second in the constructors' championship. In 2010, Vettel and Red Bull won both the drivers' and constructors' championships. This was the ninth title for a Renault engine.

In 2010, when Renault sold their racing team, their engine operations became a separate company called Renault Sport F1. They continued to supply engines to Red Bull and their former team (now Lotus Renault GP). Red Bull won both titles again in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, Williams also started using Renault engines again. Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel won their fourth straight titles in 2013.

Hybrid Era Challenges and End of Supply (2014–2025)

Renault developed a new 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged hybrid engine for the 2014 season. This engine was named Energy F1. Red Bull and Caterham used Renault engines. Scuderia Toro Rosso also signed a deal to use Renault engines.

During early tests in 2014, the new Renault engines had problems with reliability and speed. Renault worked to fix these issues throughout the season.

2018 Chinese Grand Prix FP3 Daniel Ricciardo
Renault struggled with reliability during the hybrid era.

In 2015, Red Bull tried to end their contract with Renault due to performance issues but later agreed to continue. In 2016, Red Bull's Renault engines were rebranded as TAG Heuer. Toro Rosso switched back to Ferrari engines. Red Bull renewed their engine contract with Renault for two more years, still using the TAG Heuer name.

In September 2017, McLaren announced they would use Renault engines from 2018 to 2020. Toro Rosso then switched to Honda engines. In June 2018, Red Bull also announced they would use Honda engines from 2019.

As McLaren switched to Mercedes engines for 2021, Renault became a single-team engine supplier again. The Enstone-based team was rebranded to Alpine from 2021, with Renault still providing the engines.

Despite a win for Alpine driver Esteban Ocon at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, the Renault engine continued to struggle compared to its rivals. Alpine stated in 2023 that their car was slower mainly because of the Renault engine.

Due to the lack of success and reliability problems since 2014, Renault announced on September 29, 2024, that they would stop making their own F1 engines after the 2025 season. The CEO of Groupe Renault said it would be cheaper to buy engines from another company. Alpine will use Mercedes engines from 2026 onwards.

After the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, reports showed that Alpine's Renault engines were particularly slow on the straight parts of the track. This showed why Renault decided to stop making their own engines.

Formula One Engine Supplier Results (Excludes Factory Team)

Constructor Season(s) Total wins First win Last win Pole positions First pole Last pole
United Kingdom Lotus 19831986 5 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix 1986 Detroit Grand Prix 19 1983 European Grand Prix 1986 Mexican Grand Prix
France Ligier 19841986, 19921994 0 0
United Kingdom Tyrrell 19851986 0 0
United Kingdom Williams 19891997, 20122013 64 1989 Canadian Grand Prix 2012 Spanish Grand Prix 80 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix 2012 Spanish Grand Prix
United Kingdom/Italy Benetton 19951997, 2001 12 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix 1997 German Grand Prix 6 1995 San Marino Grand Prix 1997 Italian Grand Prix
Austria Red Bull 20072015 50 2009 Chinese Grand Prix 2014 Belgian Grand Prix 53 2009 Chinese Grand Prix 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix
Malaysia Lotus 2011 0 0
United Kingdom Lotus 20122014 2 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2013 Australian Grand Prix 0
Malaysia Caterham 20122014 0 0
Italy Toro Rosso 20142015 0 0
United Kingdom McLaren 20182020 0 0
France Alpine 2021–2025 1 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix 0
Total 1983–2025 134 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix 158 1983 European Grand Prix 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix

Renault/Alpine Young Driver Program

The Renault Sport Academy logo.

When Renault returned to Formula One, they started a program for young drivers. This program aims to find and train future Formula One champions. The academy was renamed Alpine Academy in 2021 when the Renault F1 Team became the Alpine F1 Team.

Renault Formula One Results

As a team, Renault has achieved the following:

  • Won 2 out of 25 team championships (8%).
  • Won 2 out of 25 drivers' championships (8%).
  • Won 35 out of 403 races (8.7%).

Esports

Year Name No. Drivers Points WCC
2018 France Renault Sport Team Vitality 4.
99.
21.
United Kingdom James Doherty
Germany Sven Zürner
Sweden Kimmy Larsson
23 9th
2019 France Renault Sport Team Vitality 2.
34.
30.
Netherlands Jarno Opmeer
Germany Cedric Thomé
Germany Simon Weigang
172 4th
2020 France Renault Vitality 40.
27.
N.A.
France Nicolas Longuet
Chile Fabrizio Donoso Delgado
Netherlands Casper Jansen
136 3rd
Source:

Complete F1 Esports Series Results

Year Chassis Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Points WCC
2018 Renault R.S.18 AUS CHN AZE FRA GBR BEL GER SIN USA ABU 23 9th
United Kingdom James Doherty 5 14 8 15 17 13
Germany Sven Zümer 18 11 15 16 11 6 15
Sweden Kimmy Larsson 14 15 16 14 10 12 13
2019 Renault R.S.19 BHR CHN AZE CAN RBR GBR GER BEL ITA JPN USA BRA 172 4th
Netherlands Jarno Opmeer 2 5 14 3 3 10 1 3 8 6 4 12
Germany Cedric Thomé 11 18 10 1 4 13 12 14
Germany Simon Weigang 8 10 14 7
2020 Renault R.S.20 BHR VIE CHN NED CAN RBR GBR BEL ITA JPN MEX BRA 136 3rd
France Nicolas Longuet 5 2 15 5 4 5 1 9 10 2 13 1
Chile Fabrizio Donoso Delgado 19 8 10 13 12 17 18 12 17 16 18
Netherlands Casper Jansen Ret

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Renault en Fórmula 1 para niños

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