 Nelson Piquet Jr. testing the R28 atSilverstone Circuit | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Renault | ||||||||||
| Designers | Pat Symonds(Executive Engineer) Bob Bell(Technical Director) James Allison(Deputy Technical Director) Tim Densham(Chief Designer) Martin Tolliday(Deputy Chief Designer) Tad Czapski(Technology Director) Robin Tuluie(Head of R&D) Dino Toso(Head of Aerodynamics) Rob White(Engine Technical Director) Axel Plasse(Project Manager - Engine) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | R27 | ||||||||||
| Successor | R29 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre andaluminium honeycomb compositemonocoque, designed for maximum strength and stiffness with minimum weight | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Carbon-fibredouble wishbone, with pushrod and rocker operated inboardtorsion bar/damper units, Zero-keel design for front suspension mounting in order to optimise front end aerodynamic performance. | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Carbon-fibre double wishbone with gearbox-mounted vertical torsion bars and horizontally mounted damper units mounted on the top of the gearbox casing. | ||||||||||
| Engine | Renault RS27-2008 2400cc 90-degreeV8,naturally aspirated,mid-engine,longitudinally mounted, 19,000 RPM Limited | ||||||||||
| Transmission | Renault Seven-speed semi-automatic titanium gearbox with one reverse gear. "Quickshift" system in operation to maximise speed of gearshifts. | ||||||||||
| Power | >750 hp @ 19,000 rpm | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Elf | ||||||||||
| Tyres | BridgestonePotenza | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | INGRenault F1 Team | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 5. Fernando Alonso6.  Nelson Piquet Jr. | ||||||||||
| Debut | 2008 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| First win | 2008 Singapore Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last win | 2008 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
TheRenault R28 is aFormula Oneracing car, with whichRenault F1 contested the2008 Formula One season. The chassis was designed byBob Bell,James Allison,Tim Densham andDino Toso withPat Symonds overseeing the design and production of the car as Executive Director of Engineering andRob White leading the engine design. The car was driven byFernando Alonso andNelson Piquet Jr.
Similarly toHonda, Renault arrived at Valencia with their contender a week before its official launch, giving the first laps of the R28 to Fernando Alonso on January 21, 2008.[1] The car was officially launched on January 31, 2008 at Renault's communications headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the banks of the Seine in south-west Paris.[2] Renault unveiled rookieNelson Piquet Jr. as Alonso's team mate for the 2008 season, and confirmedLucas di Grassi,[3]Romain Grosjean[4] andSakon Yamamoto[5] as their official test drivers.
The car carries a similar livery and sponsorship to 2007:ING are still the title sponsor, butPepe Jeans has now been added as a sponsor, along with returnee Spanish insurance firmMutua Madrileña. Mutua Madrileña had been a sponsor of theMcLaren-Mercedes team in 2007, but chose to follow Alonso when he left McLaren after only one year due to Alonso's personal sponsors.[6]
Renault made strong progress throughout the early 2008 testing schedule, with Alonso consistently at the top end of the timesheets. The Spaniard has commented that the team are "able to keep improving our understanding of the Bridgestone tyres, and also the new way of setting up the car with no traction control or engine braking".[7] The team made some improvements at a later test in Jerez, despite difficult windy weather conditions.[8]
On April 9, 2009, during Renault's promotional tour in Dubai,Mohammed Ben Sulayem was invited to test drive the Renault R28 at theDubai Autodrome. 100 meters after the start, he lost control of his car and crashed into the pit wall. The car was destroyed, but Ben Sulayem survived uninjured.[10]
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | INGRenault F1 | RenaultV8 | B | AUS | MAL | BHR | ESP | TUR | MON | CAN | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | EUR | BEL | ITA | SIN | JPN | CHN | BRA | 80 | 4th | |
| Fernando Alonso | 4 | 8 | 10 | Ret | 6 | 10 | Ret | 8 | 6 | 11 | 4 | Ret | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||||||
| Nelson Piquet Jr. | Ret | 11 | Ret | Ret | 15 | Ret | Ret | 7 | Ret | 2 | 6 | 11 | Ret | 10 | Ret | 4 | 8 | Ret |
