120-453: Renault , a French automobile manufacturer, has been associated with Formula One as both team owner and engine manufacturer for various periods since 1977. In 1977, the company entered Formula One as a constructor, introducing the turbo engine to Formula One with its EF1 engine. In 1983, Renault began supplying engines to other teams. Although the Renault team had won races, it withdrew at
240-406: A 25% share in the team and continued as an engine supplier. Red Bull Racing confirmed they would be using Renault engines for 2010 . Robert Kubica was signed as Alonso's replacement on 7 October 2009, but following the shareholding deal, Kubica and his manager Daniel Morelli asked for clarification on the management structure before committing to the outfit. However, in the new year, clarification
360-468: A capable rival for cars such as the Morris Minor and Volkswagen Beetle ; its sales of more than half a million ensured its production until 1961. After the success of the 4CV, Lefacheux continued to defy the postwar French Ministry of Industrial Production , which had wanted to convert Renault solely to truck manufacture, by directing the development of its successor. He oversaw the prototyping of
480-412: A distinctive front shape caused by positioning the radiator behind the engine to give a so-called " coal scuttle " bonnet . This continued through the 1920s. Only in 1930 did all models place the radiator at the front. The bonnet badge changed from circular to the familiar and continuing diamond shape in 1925. The practice of installing the radiator behind the engine against the firewall continued during
600-646: A few miles to a new base in Enstone . Renault continued to use the Benetton constructor name for the 2000 and the 2001 seasons, with the Renault name returning in 2001 as an engine brand. When reporting the purchase the International Herald Tribune commented that "the team will not race under the Renault name until it is ready to win and reap the marketing benefits". It was not until 2002 that this name change occurred. In 2002 , Benetton
720-579: A foreign nameplate to win the award. (In 2000, Motor Trend did away with separate awards for domestic and imported vehicles.) A surprising side effect of the AMC linkup was that Renault felt the effects of the Arab League boycott of companies doing business with Israel, as AMC built Jeeps there under license. Plans to sell the Renault 9 in the Middle East were mothballed as a result. Introductions in
840-653: A joint AMC/Renault project since some early sketches of the XJ series were made in collaboration by Renault and AMC engineers (AMC insisted that the XJ Cherokee was designed by AMC personnel; even though a former Renault engineer designed the Quadra-Link front suspension for the XJ series). The Jeep also used wheels and seats from Renault. Part of AMC's overall strategy was to save manufacturing costs by using Renault's parts and engineering expertise when practical. This led to
960-467: A light fuel load. However, Alonso was forced to retire early in Hungary due to a fuel pump failure, after a front wheel came loose as it was incorrectly fitted at his first pit stop. At Belgium Alonso again looked like scoring a podium for the team but had to retire with another problem with one of his wheels which was damaged as a result of a first-lap clash with Adrian Sutil . Piquet performed poorly in
1080-553: A more conventional development route. In 2004 , the team were contenders for second place in the Constructors' Championship. Trulli won the Monaco Grand Prix , but his relationship with Renault (particularly with team principal and Trulli's ex-manager Flavio Briatore ) deteriorated after he was consistently off the pace in the latter half of the year, and made claims of favouritism in the team towards Alonso (though
1200-578: A prelude to the Singapore Grand Prix , in which Alonso profited from the early crash of his teammate (later revealed to be a deliberate crash to aid the Spaniard. See: Renault Formula One crash controversy ) to claim his first victory of the season, and Renault's first since the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix . This victory made Alonso and Renault the first-ever winners of a Formula One race held under floodlights. Renault underlined their return to
1320-459: A row. In Singapore , Petrov was running seventh before being pushed off by Nico Hülkenberg , whilst Kubica was forced to make an unscheduled stop late in the race with a puncture, before going on to recover almost every place he had lost. Rumours had tipped 2007 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen to replace Petrov for 2011 , but the Finn angrily rejected claims he would join the team, stating that he
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#17327807142021440-486: A small star fitted above the front hood logo. This proved to be a winning differentiator and in the 1930s all cars changed to the Stella suffix from the previous two alpha character model identifiers. The Grand Renaults were built using a considerable amount of aluminium . Engines, brakes, transmissions, floor and running boards and all external body panels were aluminium. Of the few that were built, many went to scrap to aid
1560-410: A sponsorship deal signed with Lotus Cars until 2017. Renault continued to support the team by supplying engines and its expertise and thus Red Bull Racing was promoted to Renault's full-works partnership team. The Renault chassis name continued to be used, with Renault branding featuring in the new black and gold livery that was last used when Renault and Lotus joined forces in the 1980s, harking back to
1680-576: A success, and Jabouille qualified 21st out of the 30 runners and 26 starters, 1.62 seconds behind pole sitter James Hunt in the McLaren . Jabouille ran well in the race, running as high as 16th before the car's turbo failed on lap 17. The team missed the German and Austrian Grands Prix as the car was being improved after its British disappointment. They returned for the Dutch Grand Prix , and
1800-467: A team entered three cars for a race). In 1985, major financial problems emerged at Renault and the company could no longer justify the large expenses needed to maintain the racing team's competitiveness. CEO Georges Besse pared down the company's involvement in F1 from full-fledged racing team to engine supplier for the 1986 season before taking it entirely out of F1 at the end of that year. On 16 March 2000,
1920-470: A test driver the previous year. Alonso won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix , the first time Renault had won a Grand Prix since the 1983 Austrian Grand Prix . Renault was innovative during this period producing non-standard designs such as the 111° 10-cylinder engine for the 2003 RS23 which was designed to effectively lower the centre of gravity of the engine and thus improve the car's handling. This eventually proved too unreliable and heavy, so Renault returned to
2040-747: A year later, on 4 April, this time delivered by the Americans, and on 3 and 15 September 1943. A few weeks after the Liberation of Paris , at the start of September 1944, the factory gates at Renault's Billancourt plant reopened. Operations restarted slowly, in an atmosphere poisoned by plotting and political conspiracy. In 1936, the Billancourt factory had been the scene of violent political and industrial unrest that had surfaced under Léon Blum 's Popular Front government. The political jostling and violence that followed liberation ostensibly reflected
2160-527: Is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company currently produces a range of cars and vans. It has manufactured trucks , tractors , tanks , buses /coaches, aircraft and aircraft engines, as well as autorail vehicles. Headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt , near Paris , the Renault group is made up of the namesake Renault marque along with subsidiaries Alpine , Dacia from Romania and Mobilize . It
2280-643: Is known for its role in motor sport , particularly rallying , Formula 1 and Formula E . Its early work on mathematical curve modeling for car bodies is significant in the history of computer graphics . The Renault corporation was founded on 25 February 1899 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand . Louis was a bright, aspiring young engineer who had already designed and built several prototypes before teaming up with his brothers, who had honed their business skills working for their father's textile firm. While Louis handled design and production, Marcel and Fernand managed
2400-816: Is part of Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance (previously Renault–Nissan Alliance) since 1999. The French state and Nissan each own a 15% share of the company. Renault also has other subsidiaries such as RCI Banque (automotive financing), Renault Retail Group (automotive distribution), and Motrio (automotive parts). Renault has various joint ventures, including Horse Powertrain (engine development), Oyak-Renault (Turkish manufacturing), Renault Nissan Automotive India (Indian manufacturing), and Renault Korea (previously Renault Samsung Motors, South Korean manufacturing). Renault Trucks , previously known as Renault Véhicules Industriels, has been part of Volvo since 2001. Renault Agriculture became 100% owned by German agricultural equipment manufacturer CLAAS in 2008. Renault
2520-563: The 2008 Singapore Grand Prix which Renault teammate Fernando Alonso went on to win. At the time, Piquet Jr. had characterised the incident as a simple mistake. After Piquet Jr. left the Renault team in August 2009, allegations surfaced that this crash had been deliberate, to give an advantage to Alonso. Following a Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) investigation in which Piquet Jr. stated he had been asked by Renault team principal Flavio Briatore and engineer Pat Symonds to stage
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#17327807142022640-583: The 2009 season as "the worst period of my career" and had criticised team boss Flavio Briatore . He was replaced by test driver Romain Grosjean as of the European Grand Prix . After his first podium of the year in Singapore, Fernando Alonso confirmed that he would be leaving Renault, moving to Ferrari in 2010. The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by
2760-473: The 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix , however, this has been overturned on appeal following a decision from the FIA on 17 August 2009. On 4 August, Nelson Piquet Jr. was told by Renault he would not continue driving for them for the rest of the season. "I have received notice from Renault of its intention to stop me from driving for them in the current F1 season", read a statement on Piquet's website. Piquet had described
2880-685: The Chevrolet Corvair . Renault also sold the Renault Caravelle roadster, which was called the Floride outside North America. During the 1950s, Renault absorbed two small French heavy vehicle manufacturers ( Somua and Latil ) and in 1955 merged them with its own truck and bus division to form the Société Anonyme de Véhicules Industriels et d'Equipements Mécaniques (Saviem). Renault then launched two successful cars –
3000-544: The Dauphine (until his death ), enlisting the help of artist Paule Marrot in pioneering the company's textile and color division . The Dauphine sold well as the company expanded production and sales further abroad, including Africa and North America. The Dauphine sold well initially in the US, although it subsequently became outdated against increased competition, including from the country's nascent domestic compacts such as
3120-559: The Enstone-based Benetton Formula team (formerly Toleman ). Renault became a works engine manufacturer again in 2001, and in 2002 the Enstone-based team was re-branded as Renault. The team won the drivers' and constructors' championships in 2005 and 2006 . By 2011, Renault had sold its shares in the Enstone-based team, though it continued to use the Renault chassis name in 2011. Renault remained in
3240-602: The FIA accused Renault F1 of having McLaren F1 technical information in their possession. According to the charge, the information in hand " included the layout and critical dimensions of the McLaren car as well as details of McLaren's fuelling system, gear assembly, hydraulic control system and suspension ". The hearing on this matter took place in Monaco on 6 December 2007. The charge faced by Renault F1 – breaching of article 151c of
3360-420: The FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix . It also wishes to state that its managing director, Flavio Briatore and its executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds , have left the team. Renault F1 statement, 16 September 2009 During the 2009 season, the actions of Renault F1 during the 2008 season were examined over alleged race-fixing. The issue surrounded Nelson Piquet Jr. 's crash during
3480-637: The French Grand Prix , Renault was expected to be faster than Ferrari, but Ferrari again had the advantage. Alonso ran third for most of the race, unable to challenge the Ferraris of Schumacher and Massa. However, a tactical switch to a two-stop strategy enabled him to pass Massa and finish second. On 21 July 2006, the FIA banned the use of mass damper systems, developed and first used by Renault and subsequently used by 7 other teams, including Ferrari. Flavio Briatore claimed that McLaren had raised
3600-593: The Grand Palais in Paris . During World War I, the company branched out into ammunition and military vehicles such as the revolutionary Renault FT tank . Production of aero engines also ramped up with additional licensed production of the firms' products being undertaken by various companies, including Rolls-Royce who got their start in the aircraft engine business producing a batch of Renault 70 hp air-cooled V8s. Renault's most successful aircraft engine
3720-584: The Hesketh . After this, Renault did not travel to the season finale in Japan. The following year was hardly better, characterised by four consecutive retirements caused by blown engines, but near the end of the year, the team showed signs of success. Twice, the RS01 qualified 3rd on the grid and while finishing was still something of an issue, it managed to finish its first race on the lead lap at Watkins Glen near
Renault in Formula One - Misplaced Pages Continue
3840-598: The R 35 . During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Renault was surpassed by Citroën as the largest car manufacturer in France. Citroën models at the time were more innovative and popular than Renault's. However, by mid-1930s the French manufacturers were hit by the Great Depression . Renault could initially offset losses through its tractor, railroad and weaponry businesses, while Citroën filed for bankruptcy , and
3960-685: The R27 , was unveiled on 24 January 2007 in Amsterdam and bore a new yellow, blue, orange and white livery in deference to the corporate colours of ING, the Dutch financial group based in Amsterdam. Renault engines were also supplied to the Red Bull Racing team for the 2007 season. Renault struggled in comparison to their form in previous seasons in Australia , with Giancarlo Fisichella finishing
4080-516: The Renault 4 (1961–1992), a practical competitor for the likes of the Citroën 2CV , and the rear-engined Renault 8 . The larger Renault 10 followed the success of the Renault 8, and was the last rear-engined Renault. The company achieved success with the more modern and more upmarket Renault 16 , a pioneering hatchback launched in 1966, followed by the smaller Renault 6 . On 16 January 1970,
4200-469: The Renault 6 and Renault 16 . The model was a success. 1970 was also the first year during which Renault produced more than a million cars in a single year, building 1,055,803. The company's compact and economical Renault 5 model, launched in January 1972, was another success, anticipating the 1973 energy crisis . The Renault 18 was introduced in 1978 and the larger Renault 20 in 1975. During
4320-654: The Renault-Nissan Alliance through the Renault brand purchased Benetton Formula Limited for $ 120 million, to return to Formula One. The history of the team acquired by Renault started in 1981 as the Toleman Motorsport team, based in Witney , Oxfordshire, England. In 1986, the team was renamed to Benetton Formula , following its purchase in 1985 by the Benetton family . In 1992/3 the team moved
4440-600: The San Marino Grand Prix , Renault and Alonso's championship leads came under attack from a fast-but-fragile McLaren - Mercedes team and Kimi Räikkönen respectively for the Drivers' Championship. McLaren took the lead of the Constructors' World Championship by securing a one-two finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix , but that was to be the race in which Alonso secured the Drivers' title, becoming
4560-686: The Spanish Grand Prix . The team celebrated its 200th Grand Prix at Silverstone, which was won by Alonso. As the season progressed to its North American stint, Alonso won the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Canada. At the U.S Grand Prix , Ferrari had a distinct performance advantage over the whole weekend. However, Renault were the fastest of all the Michelin runners. Fisichella finished 3rd, while Alonso finished 5th. At
4680-584: The XJ Cherokee , could be launched. When the bottom fell out of the four-wheel drive (4×4) truck market in early 1980, AMC was in danger of bankruptcy. To protect its investment, Renault bailed AMC out with cash – at the price of a controlling 47.5% interest. Renault replaced some AMC executives, and Jose Dedeurwaerder of Renault became President of AMC. The partnership resulted in the marketing of Jeep vehicles in Europe. The Jeep XJ Cherokee may have been
4800-928: The "Rambler Renault" was positioned as an alternative to the Mercedes-Benz "Fintail" cars. Later, Renault continued to make and sell a hybrid of AMC's Rambler American and Rambler Classic called the Renault Torino in Argentina (sold through IKA-Renault). Renault partnered with AMC on other projects, such as a rotary concept engine in the late 1960s. In the late 1960s and 1970s, the company established subsidiaries in Eastern Europe , most notably Dacia in Romania, and South America (many of which remain active) and forged technological cooperation agreements with Volvo and Peugeot , (for instance, for
4920-469: The "Shark-fin", similar to the one introduced by Red Bull on their RB4 . Alonso managed to qualify on the front row for that race on a light fuel-load, yet retired with an engine failure halfway through. Alonso's front row qualifying performance in Spain was a rare moment of achievement from the former World Champion. Both cars retired at the Canadian Grand Prix and Nelson Piquet Jr. , who retired from six of
Renault in Formula One - Misplaced Pages Continue
5040-522: The 1930s had the suffix "Quatre" and the luxury six-cylinder models that were sold with the suffix "-six", later becoming "Stella." For example, in 1928, when Renault produced 45,809 cars, its seven models started with a 6CV, a 10CV, the Monasix , 15CV, the Vivasix , the 18/22CV and the 40CV . Renault offered eight body styles. The longer rolling chassis were available to coachbuilders . The smaller were
5160-559: The 1930s, the company took over the aircraft manufacturer Caudron , focusing its production in small airplanes, acquired a stake in Air France and partnered to establish the airmail company Air Bleu . Renault Caudron airplanes settled several speed world records during the 1930s. Renault continued developing tanks as part of France's rearming effort, including the D1 and the FT's replacement,
5280-427: The 1936–1938 strikes had left him without political allies and no one came to his aid. He was incarcerated at Fresnes prison where he died on 24 October 1944 under unclear circumstances, while awaiting trial. On 1 January 1945, by de Gaulle's decree, the company was posthumously expropriated from Louis Renault. On 16 January 1945, it was formally nationalised as Régie Nationale des Usines Renault . Renault's were
5400-545: The 1950s and 1960s on vehicles where the engine was installed longitudinally in the rear of the vehicle. Renault introduced new models at the Paris Motor Show , which was held in September or October of the year. This led to confusion about model years. For example, a "1927" model was mostly produced in 1928. Renault cars during this time period had two model lines; the economy four-cylinder engine models that in
5520-498: The 1983 championship. He subsequently joined McLaren , while Cheever left to join Alfa Romeo . The team turned to Frenchman Patrick Tambay (who had left Ferrari) and Englishman Derek Warwick (formerly of Toleman ) to bring them back to prominence. Despite a few good results, including Tambay giving the team its last pole position at the 1984 French Grand Prix at Dijon, the team was not as competitive in 1984 and 1985 as in
5640-514: The British Royal Air Force (RAF) launched 235 low-level bombers at the Île Seguin, Billancourt, Paris plant, the largest number aimed at a single target during the war. 460 metric tons (450 long tons; 510 short tons) of bombs were dropped on the plant and the surrounding area, causing extensive damage along with heavy civilian casualties. Renault resolved to rebuild the factory as quickly as possible, but bombardments continued
5760-575: The French automobile industry. The disputes were eventually quashed by Renault in a particularly intransigent way, and over 2,000 people lost their jobs. After the French capitulation in 1940 , Louis Renault refused to produce tanks for Nazi Germany , which took control of his factories. As Renault was manufacturing the Renault UE tank for the Allies, he produced trucks instead. On 3 March 1942,
5880-456: The French military to transport troops during World War I which earned them the nickname " Taxi de la Marne ." By 1907, a significant percentage of London and Paris taxis had been built by Renault. Renault was also the best-selling foreign brand in New York in 1907 and 1908. In 1908 the company produced 3,575 units, becoming the country's largest car manufacturer. The brothers recognised
6000-666: The John Player Special livery of the time. Despite being rebranded to Lotus, Renault still supplied free engines for the Lotus team until 2014. Renault Groupe Renault ( UK : / ˈ r ɛ n oʊ / REN -oh , US : / r ə ˈ n ɔː l t , r ə ˈ n oʊ / rə- NAWLT , rə- NOH , French: [ɡʁup ʁəno] , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A. )
6120-592: The LCVs were the 4, 5, and 12 Société and the Estafette. The company added 54,086 buses/coaches and trucks. In North America, Renault partnered with American Motors Corporation (AMC), lending AMC operating capital and buying a minority 22.5% stake in the company in late 1979. The first Renault model sold through AMC's dealerships was the R5, renamed Renault Le Car. Jeep was keeping AMC afloat until new products, particularly
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#17327807142026240-524: The Sporting Regulations – was the same as that faced by McLaren earlier on in 2007 in the espionage controversy involving Ferrari & McLaren . The FIA found Renault F1 in breach of article 151c but did not penalise the team. It was announced on 10 December 2007 that Fernando Alonso had signed with Renault F1 for 2008 . Alonso drove alongside promoted test driver Nelson Piquet Jr. and was believed to have secured number one status within
6360-465: The Toyota in the last two races of the 2004 season. Hoping to secure second place in the Constructors' Championship, Renault replaced Trulli with 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve for the final three races. However, Villeneuve – away from F1 racing for almost an entire season and struggling to acclimatise quickly to racing at the premier level – did not impress, and the team finished third behind Villeneuve's former team BAR . Giancarlo Fisichella
6480-505: The Type GP was produced between 1919 and 1930. It was based on the FT tank. Renault struggled to compete with the increasingly popular small, affordable "people's cars," while problems with the United States stock market and the workforce slowed the company's growth. Renault also had to find a way to distribute its vehicles more efficiently. In 1920, Louis signed one of its first distribution contracts with Gustave Gueudet , an entrepreneur from Amiens , France. The pre-First World War cars had
6600-434: The US by 1928 had declined to near-zero from their high point prior to WWI. A Type NM 40CV Tourer had a US list price of over US$ 4,600 ($ 81,623 in 2023 dollars ), about the same as a Cadillac V-12 , Packard Eight , Fiat 520 , or Delahaye . Closed 7-seat limousines like the Renault Suprastella started at US$ 6,000 ($ 106,465 in 2023 dollars ). Cars were conservatively engineered and built. The Renault Vivasix , model PG1,
6720-524: The US during the 1980s included the Renault Alliance GTA and GTA convertible – an automatic-top convertible with a 2.0 L engine – big for a car of its class and the Renault Fuego coupé. The Alliance was followed by the Encore (US version of the Renault 11 ), an Alliance-based hatchback. In 1982, Renault become the second European automaker to build cars in the US, after Volkswagen . However, bland styling and poor product quality proved insurmountable. Eventually, Renault sold AMC to Chrysler in 1987 after
6840-546: The assassination of Renault's chairman, Georges Besse by Action directe . The Renault Medallion (Renault 21 in Europe) sedan and wagon was sold from 1987 until 1989 through Jeep-Eagle dealerships. Jeep-Eagle was the division Chrysler created out of the former AMC. Renault imports ended after 1989. A completely new full-sized 4-door sedan, the Eagle Premier , was developed during the partnership between AMC and Renault. The Premier design, as well as its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bramalea, Ontario , Canada, were
6960-440: The business. The first Renault car, the Renault Voiturette 1CV, was sold to a friend of Louis' father after giving him a test ride on 24 December 1898. In 1903, Renault began to manufacture its own engines; until then it had purchased them from De Dion-Bouton . The first major volume sale came in 1905 when Société des Automobiles de Place bought Renault AG1 cars to establish a fleet of taxis. These vehicles were later used by
7080-445: The closest challenger to the domination of the sport by Ferrari and McLaren. Renault entered the season with high hopes of challenging both world titles. Although Alonso managed four points finishes in the first six races, it was soon clear that this target was unrealistic. By mid-season, it appeared as though Renault were making progress, with Alonso setting the fastest lap in Germany and securing pole position in Hungary , albeit on
7200-420: The company into four business areas: automobiles (for car and light commercial vehicles or LCVs), finance and services, commercial vehicles (coaches and trucks over 2.5 tons GVW ), and minor operations under an industrial enterprises division (farm machinery, plastics, foundry, etc.). In 1980, Renault produced 2,053,677 cars and LCVs. The cars at the time were the Renault 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 30;
7320-410: The crash, on 4 September 2009 Renault were charged with conspiracy and race-fixing and were due to face the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris on 21 September 2009. Initially, Renault and Briatore stated they would take legal action against Piquet Jr. for making false allegations, however, before the meeting, Renault announced they would not contest the charges, and that Briatore and Symonds had left
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#17327807142027440-431: The design was inherited by the Chrysler Corporation in late 1987 after Renault divested AMC – which debuted in 1989 as the Jeep Concept 1 (evolving into the Jeep Grand Cherokee in April 1992). The Renault-AMC marketing effort in passenger cars was unsuccessful compared to the popularity of Jeep vehicles. This was because, by the time the Renault range was ready, the second energy crisis was over, taking with it much of
7560-407: The desire for economical, compact cars. One exception was the Renault Alliance (an Americanised version of the Renault 9 ), which debuted for the 1983 model year. Assembled at AMC's Kenosha, Wisconsin plant, the Alliance received Motor Trend ' s domestic Car of The Year award in 1983. The Alliance's 72% US content allowed it to qualify as a domestic vehicle, making it the first car with
7680-478: The development of the PRV V6 engine, which was used in Renault 30 , Peugeot 604 , and Volvo 260 in the late 1970s). In the mid-1960s, Renault Australia was set up in Melbourne. The company produced and assembled models including the R8, R10, R12, R16, sporty R15, R17 coupes, R18, and R20. The unit closed in 1981 and the factory closed with LNC Industries taking over import and distribution of Renaults in Australia. When Peugeot acquired Citroën and formed PSA ,
7800-400: The end of 1978 , giving the team a fourth-place finish and its first Formula One points. The team did not enter the first two races of 1978, in Argentina and Brazil , but returned for the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami . Jabouille secured Renault's best qualifying position to date, with sixth place, just 0.71 seconds behind polesitter Niki Lauda in the Brabham . He dropped out of
7920-400: The end of 1985 . Renault engines continued to be raced until 1986. Renault returned to Formula One in 1989 as an engine manufacturer. It won five drivers' titles and six constructors' titles between 1992 and 1997 with Williams and Benetton , before ending its works involvement after 1997, though their engines continued to be used without works backing until 2000. In 2000, Renault acquired
8040-445: The end of the decade. Renault acquired a controlling stake in Automobiles Alpine in 1973, and over the decades, Renault developed a collaborative partnership with Nash Motors Rambler and its successor American Motors Corporation (AMC). From 1962 until 1967, Renault assembled complete knock down (CKD) kits of the Rambler Classic sedans in its factory in Belgium. Renault did not have large or luxury cars in its product line and
8160-459: The end of the race was not as great as was seen at Melbourne, with Fisichella finishing only 8th. The team's pace began to pick up in Barcelona, with both drivers making it into Q3, setting competitive lap times in the race (4th fastest lap for Kovalainen) and looking set for 5th and 8th, only to be hampered by an identical problem on both fuel rigs, forcing both drivers to make extra pitstops which dropped them back to 7th and 9th. On 8 November 2007,
8280-451: The end of the year, Jabouille crashed heavily at the Canadian GP and suffered serious leg injuries, which effectively ended his career as a Grand Prix driver. Alain Prost was signed up for 1981 . In his three years with the team, Prost showed the form that would make him a Formula One legend and the Renaults were among the best in Formula One, twice finishing third in the Constructors' Championships and once second. Prost won nine races with
8400-438: The fastest time in Saturday's practice session, followed by 2nd place in qualifying, Kubica finished in 3rd place in Monaco , just 1.6 seconds behind the winner. Petrov retired in the closing laps of the race but was still classified 13th. Vitaly Petrov was out-qualified and out-raced by Robert Kubica at almost every race. However, Petrov did find considerable form at the Hungarian Grand Prix when he out-qualified Kubica for
8520-490: The firm, assuming his responsibilities at once. Meanwhile, provisional government accused Louis Renault of collaborating with the Germans. In the frenzied atmosphere of those early post-liberation days, with many wild accusations, Renault was advised by his lawyers to present himself to a judge. He appeared before Judge Marcel Martin, on 22 September 1944 and was arrested on 23 September 1944, as were several other French automobile-industry leaders. Renault's harsh handling of
8640-410: The first Grand Prix motor racing event in a Renault AK 90CV in 1906 . Louis took full control of the company as the only remaining brother in 1906 when Fernand retired for health reasons. Fernand died in 1909 and Louis became the sole owner, renaming the company Société des Automobiles Renault (Renault Automobile Company). Renault fostered its reputation for innovation from very early on. At
8760-485: The first half of the season and was replaced by Romain Grosjean for the last third of the season. Neither Piquet nor Grosjean managed to score a point. A podium in Singapore was little consolation in what had been a frustrating and controversial season for the team. Renault had been suspended for one race (the 2009 European Grand Prix) due to the incident involving Fernando Alonso 's wheel not being fitted properly in
8880-555: The first nine races, failed to score until the French Grand Prix . The German Grand Prix heralded a change in the team's fortune. Piquet Jr. benefited from the deployment of the safety car to secure Renault's first podium of the year with a second. Both drivers scored at the Hungarian Grand Prix although they failed to pick up anything at Valencia two weeks later. Two fourth places for Alonso in Belgium and Italy were
9000-555: The first time and finished the race 5th. However, in Belgium , Petrov made a mistake that ended with a crash in the first session of qualifying when he explored the kerbs at Liege corner, claiming he was testing to see how wet they were and if they were usable on his flying lap. His failure to set a time placed him 24th on the grid, though a gearbox penalty to Sauber's Pedro de la Rosa promoted him to 23rd. However, he went on to finish ninth, resulting in three consecutive points finishes in
9120-498: The front at the subsequent Japanese Grand Prix , in which Alonso steered clear of Lewis Hamilton 's first-corner mistake to record another win. Piquet Jr. finished fourth in the team's best performance of the season. Further double points finish in China was followed by Alonso's second-place finish at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix . The Renault R28 was believed by many insiders to have overtaken BMW Sauber by season's end as
9240-520: The good pace from Zandvoort seemed to be gone as he once again ran outside the top 10 before retiring with yet another reliability problem, this time the alternator, on lap 31. Jabouille failed to qualify in Canada ; as 27 drivers entered the race, only one would not qualify, and this was Jabouille as he ended up last, over 7.5 seconds behind the fastest qualifier Mario Andretti of Lotus , and almost two seconds behind his nearest rival, Rupert Keegan , in
9360-480: The group's collaboration with Renault was reduced, although established joint production projects were maintained. Prior its merging with Peugeot, Citroën sold to Renault the truck and bus manufacturer Berliet in December 1974, merging it with its subsidiary Saviem in 1978 to create Renault Véhicules Industriels , which became the only French manufacturer of heavy commercial vehicles. In 1976, Renault reorganised
9480-452: The improvement of the venerable AMC inline six – a Renault/Bendix-based port electronic fuel injection system (usually called Renix ) transformed it into a modern, competitive powerplant with a jump from 110 to 177 hp (82 to 132 kW) with less displacement (from 4.2 to 4.0 litres). The XJC Cherokee concept, which was conceived in 1983 as a successor to the XJ series, was also a joint collaboration with AMC and Renault engineers until
9600-543: The issue of the system's legality with the FIA. The system used a spring-mounted mass in the nose cone to reduce the sensitivity of the car to vibration. This was particularly effective in corners and over kerbs to keep the tyres in closer contact to the track surface than they would otherwise be. However race stewards at the German Grand Prix deemed the system legal. The FIA announced its intention to appeal that decision and Renault announced they would not race with
9720-678: The line. While Jabouille ran into hard times after that race, Arnoux finished second at Silverstone in the following race and then repeated that at the Glen, proving it was not a fluke. Arnoux furthered this in 1980 with consecutive wins in Brazil and South Africa , both on high altitude circuits where the Renaults were dominant. Jabouille continued to have problems with retirements, but in his only points finish he emerged victorious in Austria . At
9840-469: The manufacturer celebrated the 25th anniversary of its 1945 rebirth as the nationalised Régie Nationale des Usines Renault . The 1960s had been a decade of aggressive growth: a few months earlier, in October 1969, the manufacturer had launched the Renault 12 , combining the engineering philosophy of its hatchbacks with the more conservative "three-box" design. The four-door Renault 12 model slotted between
9960-524: The maximum Research Octane Number of 102 permitted under the Formula One regulations. BMW said that this was incorrect and FISA released a dossier supporting their stance. No action was taken. Prost was fired two days after the 1983 season following his public comments about the team's lack of development of the Renault RE40 which resulted in his loss to Piquet and the team's loss to Ferrari in
10080-699: The mid-seventies, the already broad-based company diversified into more industries and continued to expand globally, including South East Asia . The energy crisis led Renault to again attempt to attack the North American market. Despite the Dauphine's success in the United States in the late 1950s and an unsuccessful assembly project in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec (1964–72), Renault began to disappear from North America at
10200-436: The most popular while the least produced was the 18/ 24CV . The most expensive body style in each range was the closed car. Roadsters and tourers (torpedoes) were the cheapest. The London operation was important to Renault in 1928. The UK market was quite large and North America also received exports for the luxury car market. Lifted suspensions, enhanced cooling, and special bodies were common on vehicles sold abroad. Exports to
10320-594: The new three spring rear suspension that considerably aided stability that was needed since some vehicles surpassed 90 mph (140 km/h). The straight 8-cylinder Reinastella was introduced in 1929 and expanded to a range culminating in 1939 Suprastella . Coachbuilders included Kellner , Labourdette , J. Rothschild et Fils and Renault bodies. Closed car Renault bodies were often trimmed with interior woodwork by Rothschild. In 1928, Renault introduced an upgraded specification to its "Stella" line. The Vivastella 's and Grand Renaults had upgraded interior fittings and
10440-467: The nickname of "Yellow Teapot" and failing to finish any of its races despite being comparatively powerful. The first race the team, under the name Equipe Renault Elf, entered was the 1977 French Grand Prix , the ninth round of the season, but the car was not yet ready. The team's début was delayed until the following round, the British Grand Prix . The car's first qualifying session was not
10560-484: The only factories permanently expropriated by the French government. In subsequent years, the Renault family tried to have the nationalisation rescinded by French courts and receive compensation. In 1945, and again in 1961, the Courts responded that they had no authority to review the government's actions. Under the leadership of Pierre Lefaucheux , Renault experienced both a commercial resurgence and labor unrest , that
10680-731: The opening Bahrain Grand Prix as well as the Australian Grand Prix and finished second in Malaysia behind teammate Fisichella to claim Renault's first one-two finish since René Arnoux and Alain Prost in 1982. Alonso took two more second places, and then wins at his home Grand Prix in Spain , and at the Monaco Grand Prix . Fisichella took 8th, 6th and 3rd-place finishes in the San Marino Grand Prix , European Grand Prix and
10800-508: The past, with other teams doing a better job with turbo engines, or more specifically Lotus and to a lesser extent Ligier . 1985 provided another F1 first, as the team ran a third car in Germany at the new Nürburgring that featured the first in-car camera which could be viewed live by a television audience. Driven by Frenchman François Hesnault , the car only lasted 8 laps before a clutch problem forced it to retire (the last race on which
10920-798: The pit lane on lap 14, and Kubica finished in eleventh place. Kubica took his first podium with the team, with a second-place finish in Australia . Petrov retired from the race, after spinning off the circuit. Kubica finished the next 3 races in the points, a 4th place in Malaysia , 5th place in Shanghai , and 8th place in Barcelona . Petrov meanwhile scored his first points in Formula 1 in China with his 7th place, it could have been more, but he spun off whilst in fourth, yet he still recovered to bring some points home. After setting fast times on Thursday and
11040-448: The points early in the race before retiring with electrical problems on lap 39. At Long Beach , Jabouille qualified 13th but retired as the turbo failed again on lap 44. He was twelfth in qualifying for the team's first Monaco Grand Prix , and gave the team their first finish in Formula One, finishing in tenth place four laps down on race-winner Tyrrell 's Patrick Depailler . Expanding to two drivers with René Arnoux joining Jabouille,
11160-464: The pre-war years. The first real commercial truck from the company was introduced in 1906. Renault were also an important pre-war manufacturer of aircraft engines . The firm entered the business in 1907 with the first of what would become a series of air-cooled V8 engines . In 1911 the Renault 90 hp became the world's first V12 aircraft engine when it was exhibited at the Salon de l’Aéronautique at
11280-576: The qualifying performance was much improved as Jabouille qualified tenth. He had a poor start but ran as high as sixth before the suspension failed on lap 40. The team's poor qualifying form returned in Italy , as Jabouille qualified 20th. He ran outside the top 10 until his engine failed on lap 24, continuing their awful run of reliability. Things improved at Watkins Glen for the United States Grand Prix as Jabouille qualified 14th, but
11400-578: The race in 5th place. Rookie Heikki Kovalainen struggled even more than the Italian, spinning his car as he chased Toyota's Ralf Schumacher and ending up in 10th place. Results did not improve until the start of the European season, although both drivers finished in the points in the next race at Malaysia . Heikki Kovalainen struggled in Bahrain too, although the gap between himself and Fisichella at
11520-462: The rivalries between capitalist collaboration and communist resistance; many of the scores settled predated the invasion. Responding to the chaotic situation at Renault, a 27 September 1944 meeting of the Council of Ministers ( fr ) took place under de Gaulle's presidency. Postwar European politics had quickly become polarised between communists and anti-communists, and in France de Gaulle
11640-466: The second French constructor (after the triumph of Matra in 1969 ) and the first French-licensed team to win the title. Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella were retained for 2006, while test driver Franck Montagny was replaced by Heikki Kovalainen . The team's 2006 contender, the R26 – featuring a seven-speed gearbox made of titanium , was unveiled at a launch event on 31 January. Alonso won
11760-668: The sport as an engine manufacturer, winning four drivers' and constructors' titles with Red Bull Racing between 2010 and 2013. The company bought the Enstone-based team again in 2016 and re-branded it as Renault. The team did not win in the following five seasons and was re-branded as Alpine in 2021 with the Renault marque remaining as engine manufacturer. As a team owner, Renault has won two constructors' and drivers' championships, while as an engine manufacturer it has 12 constructors' and 11 drivers' championships. It has collected over 160 wins as engine supplier, ranking fourth in Formula One history. Renault's first involvement in Formula One
11880-571: The system for fear of retrospective punishment if the appeal was upheld. Renault's performance at the German Grand Prix was one of their worst of the season; however, the team blamed blistering of their Michelin tyres rather than the loss of the mass damper system. The FIA International Court of Appeal met in Paris on 22 August 2006, to examine the appeal made by the FIA against the decision of the German Grand Prix stewards. The Court ruled that
12000-665: The team continued to struggle although Jabouille earned a pole position in South Africa . By mid-season, both drivers had a new ground-effect car, the RS10, and at Dijon for the French Grand Prix the team legitimised itself with a brilliant performance in a classic race. The two Renaults were on the front row in qualifying, and pole-sitter Jabouille won the race, the first driver in a turbocharged car to do so, while Arnoux and Gilles Villeneuve were involved in an extremely competitive duel for second, Arnoux narrowly getting beaten to
12120-563: The team, while Arnoux added two more in 1982 . Arnoux left for rival Ferrari after 1982 and was replaced by American Eddie Cheever . In 1983 , Renault and Prost came very close to winning the drivers' title but were edged out by Nelson Piquet ( Brabham - BMW ) at the last race of the season in South Africa . After the end of the season, a rival fuel company said that the fuel used by the Brabham-BMWs in South Africa had exceeded
12240-467: The team. At the meeting, the Council banned Renault from Formula One, but suspended this sanction for two years, meaning Renault would have been thrown out of Formula One if a similar incident occurred before the end of the 2011 season. FIA stated that Renault would have likely been thrown out of Formula One if it had not taken swift action in pushing out Briatore and Symonds. At the same meeting, Briatore
12360-414: The team. The team similarly started in 2008 as the year before; Fernando Alonso managed to garner fourth at the opening Australian Grand Prix as a result of a mistake from a previous Renault employee Heikki Kovalainen. However, the form was still short of 2006 by a large degree over the first half of the 2008 season. The team brought new parts to the Spanish Grand Prix , including a new engine-cover, dubbed
12480-549: The time, cars were luxury items manufactured without assembly line advances. The price of the smallest Renaults at the time was 3000 francs (₣); an amount equal to ten years pay for the average worker. In 1905, the company introduced mass production techniques and Taylorism in 1913. In 1911, Renault visited Henry Ford at the Highland Park factory and adopted some of the manufacturing principles from his trip. Renault manufactured buses and commercial cargo vehicles in
12600-405: The two teammates themselves remained friendly). Commentators regularly point to the French Grand Prix as the final straw for Briatore, where Trulli was overtaken by Rubens Barrichello in the final stages of the last lap, costing Renault a double podium finish at their home Grand Prix. He subsequently announced he was joining Toyota for the following year and in fact left Renault early, driving
12720-655: The use of the device known as a Tuned Mass Damper is an infringement of Article 3.15 of the Formula One Technical Regulations. Points scored in the Brazilian Grand Prix secured the Constructors' Championship for Renault in 2006. On 16 October 2006, Renault announced that the Dutch banking giant ING would replace Mild Seven as title sponsor for three years starting in 2007 . Renault confirmed Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen as their race drivers for 2007 with Nelson Piquet Jr. and Ricardo Zonta as test drivers. The car for 2007,
12840-506: The value of publicity that participation in motor racing could generate for their vehicles. Renault made itself known through succeeding in the first city-to-city races held in Switzerland, producing rapid sales growth. Both Louis and Marcel raced company vehicles, but Marcel was killed in an accident during the 1903 Paris-Madrid race . Although Louis never raced again, his company remained very involved, including Ferenc Szisz winning
12960-496: The war effort. In 1931, Renault introduced diesel engines for its commercial vehicles. Renault was one of the few French vehicle manufacturers that pursued the production of aircraft engines after World War I. In the late 1920s, it attempted to produce a high-power military engine to compete with the American Pratt & Whitney units, which proved unsuccessful, although its civil engines achieved better results. In
13080-404: The youngest ever driver to do so. This achievement was followed by a win in China to secure the Constructors' World Championship for Renault after McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya 's car was badly damaged by a drain cover coming loose on the track. This broke Ferrari 's six-year stranglehold on that title. It was the first time Renault had won the title as a manufacturer, and Renault became only
13200-412: Was Trulli's replacement for the 2005 season. He took advantage of a rain-affected qualifying session to win the first race of the season, the Australian Grand Prix . Fernando Alonso then won the next three races to build a considerable lead in the Drivers' World Championship, thereby doing the same for Renault in the Constructors' Championship. Meanwhile, Fisichella failed to finish several races. After
13320-446: Was banned from FIA events for life, while Symonds received a five-year ban. The bans on Briatore and Symonds were subsequently overturned by a French court in 2010. FIA, Briatore and Symonds reached a settlement that allowed Briatore and Symonds to return to FIA in 2011 and to Formula One in 2013. In 2010, Renault sold a majority stake in the team to Genii Capital , a Luxembourg based investment company. However Renault still retained
13440-404: Was keen to resist Communist Party attempts to monopolise the political dividends available to resistance heroes: politically Billancourt was a communist stronghold. The government decided to "requisition" the Renault factories. A week later, on 4 October, Pierre Lefaucheux , a resistance leader with a background in engineering and top-level management, was appointed provisional administrator of
13560-463: Was later acquired by Michelin . Renault became again the largest car manufacturer, a position it would keep until the 1980s. Renault was finally affected by the Great Depression economic crisis in 1936. The company spun off Caudron and its foundry and aircraft engine divisions into related but autonomous operations, keeping its core automotive business. Between 1936 and 1938, a series of labour disputes, strikes, and worker unrest spread throughout
13680-470: Was made by the Renault Sport subsidiary. Renault entered the last five races of 1977 with Jean-Pierre Jabouille in its only car. The Renault RS01 was well known for its Renault- Gordini V6 1.5 L turbocharged engine , the first regularly used turbo engine in Formula One history. Jabouille's car and engine proved highly unreliable and became something of a joke during its first races, earning
13800-410: Was rebranded as Renault F1 and contested the season with drivers Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button who scored 23 points during the season. As a result of rebranding, Renault received a French nationality license instead of Italian . Despite outscoring his teammate during 2002, Button was dropped by Renault in 2003 . His replacement was Spain's Fernando Alonso , who had been considered impressive as
13920-509: Was sold as the "executive sports" model beginning in 1927. Lighter weight factory steel bodies powered by a 3,180 cubic centimetre (cc) six-cylinder motor provided a formula that lasted until the Second World War . "de Grand Luxe Renaults", those with a wheelbase over 12-foot (3.7 m), were produced in small numbers in two major types – six- and eight-cylinder. The 1927 six-cylinder Grand Renault models NM, PI and PZ introduced
14040-418: Was sought and Kubica was ready to commit to the outfit. On 31 January, Vitaly Petrov was signed to be Kubica's teammate, becoming Russia 's first Formula One driver. On 5 January, Éric Boullier was announced as the new team principal at Renault, replacing Bob Bell , who would return to his former role as Technical Director. At the opening round in Bahrain , Petrov retired with broken suspension while in
14160-689: Was the 300 hp 12Fe with around 5,300 built during the war. The company's military designs were so successful that Louis was awarded the Legion of Honour for his company's contributions. The company exported engines to American automobile manufacturers for use in such automobiles as the GJG , which used a Renault 26 horsepower (19 kW) or 40 hp (30 kW) four-cylinder engine. Louis Renault enlarged Renault's scope after 1918, producing agricultural and industrial machinery . The war from 1914 until 1918 led to many new products. The first Renault tractor,
14280-484: Was to continue into the 1980s. In the early 1950s, Renault assembled at least two models; "Standard Saloon" and "De Luxe Saloon" in England. In secrecy during the war, Louis Renault had developed the rear engine 4CV which was subsequently launched under Lefacheux in 1946. Renault debuted its flagship model, the largely conventional 2-litre 4-cylinder Renault Frégate (1951–1960), shortly thereafter. The 4CV proved
14400-447: Was upset Renault was using his name for their image and that their actions meant he would not race for them. On 5 November 2010, Autosport reported that Renault was poised to scale back its involvement in 2011 and become only an engine supplier, with the team closing in on a tie-up with Lotus Cars to buy its 25% stake in the team. The deal was finalised in early December 2010, with the team to be renamed Lotus Renault GP for 2011, under
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