View source for Renault

{{Racing Team Sml
|Short_name         = {{FRA}} Renault
|Colour 1           = #FFFF00
|Colour 2           = #000000
|Logo               = [[File:RenaultF1.jpg|300px]]
|Long_name          = Renault Sport F1 Team
|Base               = Dieppe, France <br> Viry-Châtillon, France <br> Leafield, United Kingdom
|Founders           = {{ITA}} Flavio Briatore
|Team Principals    = {{ITA}} Flavio Briatore
|Technical Director = 
|Driver1            = 
|Driver1Series      =
|NotedDriver1       = {{FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]] <br> {{FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]] <br> {{ESP}} [[Fernando Alonso]]
|NotedDriver1Series = 
|}}

'''Renault''' are a French automaker who have been involved in Motorsport since the beginning of the 20th century.

They have been involved in Grand Prix racing as a fully-fledged manufacturer as well as an engine supplier, both in [[Formula One]] and the [[AutoReject World Series]] - in the latter of which they have also been represented by the Infiniti brand.

Renault also have competed in rallying and touring car racing.

==[[Formula One]]==
===1970s===
In [[1977 Alternate Formula One season|1977]] Renault became the first major production car manufacturer to enter Formula One in the commercial era, with a pair of cars entered by the in-house Équipe Renault Elf team headed by engineer and driver [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]] alongside fellow F2 frontrunner [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]. Renault were pioneers for the use of the V6 Turbo engine, which would later become the dominant choice of engine for the majority of the paddock. Reliability would be an issue in the early days of the team and as such would regularly retire from the races. 

===1980s===
Renault returned to the F1 paddock in [[1989 Alternate Formula One season|1989]], supplying power units to the [[Williams|Canon Williams]] and [[Lotus|Camel Team Lotus]] outfits.

===1990s===
The Renault-engined [[Williams]] won the [[1997 Alternate Formula One season|1997]] World Driver's Championship with [[Jacques Villeneuve]] at the wheel.

The French manufacturer vacated Formula One in an official capacity in [[1998 Alternate Formula One season|1998]], but continued to supply engines to teams for the next three seasons under the Mecachrome, Supertec and Playlife monikers.

===2000s===
In [[2000 Alternate Formula One season|2000]], Renault purchased [[Arrows|Benetton Arrows]] for $120 million - but would not enter Formula One in its own right until [[2002 Alternate Formula One season|2002]]. Renault's first lineup consisted of two of the most exciting young drivers on the grid at the time, Spaniard [[Fernando Alonso]] and Briton [[Jenson Button]] - whom had both raced for Benetton Arrows the year before. Alonso was managed by Renault team principal Flavio Briatore and was symbolically made the #1 driver at the team despite having less experience and scoring the same amount of points as Button in 2001. Button took the first points for Renault, with a fifth place finish in the [[Malaysian Grand Prix]]. Another fifth followed several races later in the [[European Grand Prix]] - which was soon bettered by an incredibly popular third place at Button's home race in [[British Grand Prix|Great Britain]], Renault's first podium of the new regime and their best finish of the season. Despite this strong result - Button's frustration with the team hierarchy combined with more consistent showings from Alonso meant that the Briton would leave Renault at the end of 2002. Alonso finished ahead of Button in the WDC with a seventh place compared to Button's ninth, with Renault finishing in a decent fourth place in the Constructor's standings.

Australian driver [[Mark Webber]] moved over from [[Jaguar]] in [[2003 Alternate Formula One season|2003]], continuing Renault's policy of nuturing young drivers. Renault were much more competitive this year, with Alonso taking a second place and a third in the first two races - with the team scoring more consistently in general. Webber took another step forward after the mid-season break - taking his and the new Renault's first win in the [[German Grand Prix]]. Alonso continued to rack up the podium finishes and was slowly beginning to emerge as a possible future championship contender. Alonso capped off the season in great style, taking the flag in the final two races in the [[United States Grand Prix|USA]] and [[Japanese Grand Prix|Japan]].

[[2004 Alternate Formula One season|2004]] arrived and Renault were looking like strong contenders again - however the boycott of races within the European Union by the FIA and FOTA as result of a conflict regarding the European Arrest Warrant meant that the calendar was majorly slashed - eliminating the chance to test and improve the car throughout the year. [[Ferrari]] dominated proceedings, predictably, but Alonso and Renault were able to get a single win in the [[United States Grand Prix]]. Webber didn't fare so well at Indianapolis, having a heavy accident on the last corner that ruled him out of three races on medical grounds. Webber would be replaced by [[1997 Alternate Formula One season|1997]] World Champion [[Jacques Villeneuve]] before he returned at the last race of the season.

[[2005 Alternate Formula One season|2005]] saw Alonso be joined by young Finn [[Kimi Räikkönen]] in what was set to be the most wide-open championship in many years, with Renault, McLaren, Ferrari, Williams and [[Toyota]] all bringing very strong packages. The lead of the championship switched almost race by race - with Alonso, Räikkönen, [[James James Davies]], [[Rubens Barrichello]] and [[Daniel Melrose]] all heading into the final round in [[Chinese Grand Prix|China]]. The lead switched often in this frantic race but eventually Alonso capitalised on a last-lap error from Kimi Räikkönen to secure Alonso his first and only F1 World Driver's Championship, with some pundits in the Spanish media dubbing the race ''[[2005 Chinese Grand Prix|El Milagro de Shanghai]]''.

Defending champion Alonso took a large offer from [[Honda]] in [[2006_Alternate_Formula_One_season|2006]] which saw Räikkönen take the lead of the team - being joined by former tester [[Loïc Duval]]. Räikkönen was dominant and seemed odds on to take the title at a canter before a severe accident at the Hungaroring saw him ruled out of the rest of the season - effectively handing the title to Ferrari's James James Davies. [[Nick Heidfeld]] took the lead of the team in Räikkönen's absence.

Heidfeld continued his stay with the team into [[2007_Alternate_Formula_One_season|2007]], with the German driver joined by [[Jenson Button]] - making his return to the team. Button and Heidfeld were occasional podium scorers and scored enough for third in the WCC after [[McLaren]]'s exclusion due to the Spygate scandal. 

{{Template:Formula One Constructors}}