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From Renault Sport
Sebastian Vettel's win for Red Bull Racing at the Grand Prix of India brought the total of Renault-engined wins in Formula 1 to 150. The manufacturer is third in the overall standings, only 16 behind the legendary Ford/Cosworth DFV.
Renault entered F1 in 1977 as a constructor and has achieved success in both this capacity and as an engine supplier. After making its debut at Silverstone in July 1977, it secured its first win in France in 1979, and has achieved wins with every type of engine fielded, with wins shared by the 1.5-litre V6 turbo, the 3.5 and 3.0-litre V10s, and the current 2.4-litre V8.
Renault Wins 1979-2012
By engine
1.5 litres V6 Turbo : 20 victories
3.5 litres V10 : 38 victories
3.0 litres V10 : 47 victories
2.4 litres V8 : 45 victories
Jean-Pierre Menrath, head of dyno testing remembers the maiden victory of a Renault engine in Formula 1, back with Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the 1979 Grand Prix of France at Dijon-Prenois.
“The first races of 1979 had been disastrous for Renault: in seven races with two cars we had had 12 DNFs and zero points. This is why our management at the time, Gérard Larousse, managing director, and François Castaing, technical director, ordered two test sessions at Dijon. They wanted to create a winning mentality in a company that doubted its own ability.
These private tests went well but still no one knew where we would be on the grid. Then, on Saturday July 2nd, our two cars were there, on the front row, ahead of everyone. Everyone knows the story of the race - Jean-Pierre Jabouille made a good start and had a relatively trouble-free race, no refuelling, no tire change, no telemetry - just a huge amount of stress in the garage as we watched the laps go past... increasing each lap!
Finally we made it and the feeling was indescribable: a huge wave of joy and happiness and the feeling of having achieved something exceptional: the first win for a turbo engine, the first win for a road car manufacturer in F1 and the first win for Renault.
After the race, as if to say ‘don't take anything for granted', our friend Ken Tyrrell lodged a protest that our engine wasn't legal. Some of the English were convinced that we had put a two litre Le Mans engine in there instead of a 1,500cm3 F1 engine! We must have done, otherwise, how could we have been that quick?
The FIA made us strip the engine, still warm in the car, to check the cylinder head. We had to remove it as their checks weren't designed for such a small engine... which was obviously legal after all that!”
Sebastian Vettel's win for Red Bull Racing at the Grand Prix of India brought the total of Renault-engined wins in Formula 1 to 150. The manufacturer is third in the overall standings, only 16 behind the legendary Ford/Cosworth DFV.
Renault entered F1 in 1977 as a constructor and has achieved success in both this capacity and as an engine supplier. After making its debut at Silverstone in July 1977, it secured its first win in France in 1979, and has achieved wins with every type of engine fielded, with wins shared by the 1.5-litre V6 turbo, the 3.5 and 3.0-litre V10s, and the current 2.4-litre V8.
 |
| Photo: Renault Sport |
Renault Wins 1979-2012
By engine
1.5 litres V6 Turbo : 20 victories
3.5 litres V10 : 38 victories
3.0 litres V10 : 47 victories
2.4 litres V8 : 45 victories
Jean-Pierre Menrath, head of dyno testing remembers the maiden victory of a Renault engine in Formula 1, back with Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the 1979 Grand Prix of France at Dijon-Prenois.
“The first races of 1979 had been disastrous for Renault: in seven races with two cars we had had 12 DNFs and zero points. This is why our management at the time, Gérard Larousse, managing director, and François Castaing, technical director, ordered two test sessions at Dijon. They wanted to create a winning mentality in a company that doubted its own ability.
These private tests went well but still no one knew where we would be on the grid. Then, on Saturday July 2nd, our two cars were there, on the front row, ahead of everyone. Everyone knows the story of the race - Jean-Pierre Jabouille made a good start and had a relatively trouble-free race, no refuelling, no tire change, no telemetry - just a huge amount of stress in the garage as we watched the laps go past... increasing each lap!
 |
| Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Renault. (Photo: WRI2) |
Finally we made it and the feeling was indescribable: a huge wave of joy and happiness and the feeling of having achieved something exceptional: the first win for a turbo engine, the first win for a road car manufacturer in F1 and the first win for Renault.
After the race, as if to say ‘don't take anything for granted', our friend Ken Tyrrell lodged a protest that our engine wasn't legal. Some of the English were convinced that we had put a two litre Le Mans engine in there instead of a 1,500cm3 F1 engine! We must have done, otherwise, how could we have been that quick?
The FIA made us strip the engine, still warm in the car, to check the cylinder head. We had to remove it as their checks weren't designed for such a small engine... which was obviously legal after all that!”