The Team

Though intermittent, Renault Company’s involvement with F1 racing has been of long specially with Ferenc Szisz who won the first French Grand Prix which is more often than not marked as the birth of Grand Prix motor racing. The team has won many races while also competing for world titles but as a supplier of generally aspirated engines engines for the Benetton and Williams teams during the 1990′s was the first time that they experienced world championship success. The debut of their first car, Renault RS0, was at Silverstone (1977) also introduced the turbo engine to F1 racing. The Benetton team was renamed Renault in 2002. As a constructor, their first championship was achieved in 2005 when Fernando Alonso also won their first drivers’ championship. He repeated the achievement in 2006.

The Location

The team is based at Enstone, Oxfordshire. Here the chassis, after designed, are built. But engines are built at Viry-Chatillon external to Paris where Renault has its facility.

Victories

They won championships in 2005 and 2006, thanks to Fernando Alonso. But their greatest victory lies in the fact that they contributed to the driver’s world championships in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and also in the constructor world championships of 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997, being the engine supplier of Benetton and Williams. This way, the team has marked thirteen victories, seemingly not an unlucky number for them.

Contribution to Formula 1 Racing

Renault rejoined F1 supplying engines to Williams which secured its first Renault powered win in Canada, by the sixth round itself. Williams won the Constructor’s title in 1993. Benetton was the next to be supplied with Renault engines and Michael Schumacher successfully defended his Driver’s title, whereas Benetton won its first and only victory. Although Renault walked out of F1 by 1997 end, it was brought back into the foray by teams like Benetton, Williams and BAR and Arrows, all renaming their engines. The only driver who won a Driver’s title between 1992 and 1997 without a Renault engine was Michael Schumacher although the Constructor’s championship was kept back by Williams. Benetton Formula Limited was bought by Renault for a whopping $120 million, returning to Formula One. But the re-branding to Renault was done only in 2002. Renault’s true victory came in the form of Fernando Alonso, who replaced Jenson Button to win the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2003 and in 2004, they were second in the Constructor’s championship. Alonso kept winning for Renault till 2007 when the drivers changed to Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen. Alonso returned to Renault in 2008 whose position became fourth with 80 points.