 The R26 on display atFernando Alonso Sports Complex | |||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | R25 | ||||||||||
| Successor | R27 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications[citation needed] | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre and honeycomb composite structure | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbone/pushrod operating torsion bar | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | As front | ||||||||||
| Length | 4,800 mm (189 in) | ||||||||||
| Width | 1,800 mm (71 in) | ||||||||||
| Height | 950 mm (37 in) | ||||||||||
| Axle track | 1,450 mm (57 in) (front) 1,400 mm (55 in) (rear) | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 3,100 mm (122 in) | ||||||||||
| Engine | Mecachrome-builtRenault RS26 (2.4L) 2,398 cc (146 cu in)V8 90°naturally aspirated,mid engined, longitudinally-mounted | ||||||||||
| Transmission | Renault 7-speed + 1 reverse titanium longitudinal sequentialsemi-automatic transmission | ||||||||||
| Power | 755-775 hp @ 20,500 rpm[1][2] | ||||||||||
| Weight | 605 kg (1,334 lb) with driver, camera and ballast | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Elf Atmo 98.5 RON | ||||||||||
| Lubricants | Elf Evolution 900 SXR | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | Mild SevenRenault F1 Team | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 1. Fernando Alonso2.  Giancarlo Fisichella | ||||||||||
| Debut | 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| First win | 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last win | 2006 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 1 (2006) | ||||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 1 (Alonso,2006) | ||||||||||
TheRenault R26 is aFormula One racing car, used by theRenault F1 team in the2006 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 andGiancarlo Fisichella.
This was the first V8-poweredEnstone-based Formula One car since theBenetton B194 in 1994.
Over the course of the season it scored 8 wins out of 18 races, followed closely by the rivalFerrari 248 F1. The R26 helped Renault in claiming the Constructors' Championship with a 5-point advantage over rivalFerrari, and also takingFernando Alonso to his second Drivers' Championship in succession, 13 points ahead of rivalMichael Schumacher. It brought the last Constructors' Championship in recent history to tyre manufacturerMichelin.
Like its rival theFerrari 248 F1, the R26 was notable for its rock-solid reliability, chassis R26-03 driven by Fernando Alonso started all of the races of the 2006 season without the need to be replaced (F1 drivers usually go through multiple chassis in a season), it also led more laps and won more races than any single chassis in 2006 in addition to winning the world championship.[3] R26-03 now sits at Renault's “Histoire et Collection” heritage collection inParis.
The R26 was succeeded by theR27 for the2007 season.
Atuned mass damper, also known as a harmonic absorber, is a device that is attached to structures in order to reduce the strength ofvibrations passing through them.[4]Tuned mass dampers are used in buildings across the world to reduce the effects of earthquakes and strong gusts of wind.[5] In theRenault R26, this technology was used for a more benign purpose. It was used to keep the front of car stable over kerbs and through slow and fast corners. Keeping the front of the car stable is crucial to theaerodynamic efficiency of the car because changes in ride height - caused by bumps on the road or changes indownforce levels due to speed - can alter the way that air passes over the front wing of the car and therefore the rest of the car'saerodynamic efficiency also suffers.[6] TheTuned mass damper in the Renault R26 was invented byRenault engineerRob Marshall. Themass damper itself was a cylinder, standing upright, with the mechanical components inside. Inside the cylinder sat a 9 kilogram disc which rested in between twosprings. The disc was free to move on the Y-axis with its only hindrance, the springs that it was attached to and the damper fluid within the cylinder. The whole assembly was attached to thechassis inside the nosecone of the car. The device was then 'tuned' to the needs of each track by either changing the clearance between the disc and the cylinder bore or by adjusting the size of two-wayvalve within the disc itself. TheTuned mass damper on the Renault R26 vibrated in the opposite direction from the chassis due to inertia, with its magnitude calculated by the 'tuning' variables mentioned above. This counteracting force stabilized the front end of the car over kerbs and through slow and fast corners.[7]
Renault first introduced the technology in its 2005 challenger,Renault R25 at the2005 Brazilian Grand Prix and had been deemed to be legal by thestewards.[8] During the first half of the2006 season,Renault had built up a comfortable points lead over their main rivalsFerrari. However, at the time of theGerman Grand Prix at theHockenheimring theFIA decided to ban all the teams from usingtuned mass dampers in their car. Even though the system was deemed legal for over half a year, theFIA decided that it broke the rule that no moving part can influence theaerodynamics of the car.Renault claimed that the loss of the system cost them 0.3 seconds a lap. The ban hurt theRenault team more than their competitors becauseRenault had designed their whole car around the technology, meanwhile, their competitors had just included the technology as an after-thought after seeingRenault's implementation. This was clearly visible becauseFerrari won 5 of the 7 remaining races in theseason. However, the French team managed to defend both championship titles successfully.[9]
This was the final year for Renault/the Enstone team's long-term deal withMild Seven, which they had held since theBenetton period, after a regulation mandated the banning the tobacco advertising at the end of the season. As a result the team decided to not renew the sponsorship deal agreement.
Renault used the 'Mild Seven' logos, except at the San Marino, European, British, Canadian, French, German, Turkish, Italian and Brazilian Grands Prix. At these races, the team replaced the logos with shark, tribals, spriral and flame graphics as well with the random text "Team Spirit".
Giancarlo Fisichella wore a special helmet at theFrench Grand Prix to celebrate theItalian team's victory at the2006 FIFA World Cup in Berlin.[10]
The R26 appears as a playable vehicle inFormula One 06 andFormula One Championship Edition. It would appear inF1 2017 and its subsequent releases as a classic car. It also appears inGrid Legends.
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position; results initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Mild SevenRenault F1 Team | RenaultRS26 V8 | M | BHR | MAL | AUS | SMR | EUR | ESP | MON | GBR | CAN | USA | FRA | GER | HUN | TUR | ITA | CHN | JPN | BRA | 206 | 1st | |
| Fernando Alonso | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Ret | 2 | Ret | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||||||
| Giancarlo Fisichella | Ret | 1 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | Ret | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Autosport Racing Car Of The Year 2006 | Succeeded by |
