 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Renault R23" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 Fernando Alonso with the R23B at the2003 British Grand Prix | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Renault | ||||||||||
| Designers | Pat Symonds(Executive Engineer) Mike Gascoyne(Technical Director) Bob Bell(Deputy Technical Director) Tim Densham(Chief Designer) Tad Czapski(Head of R&D) John Iley(Head of Aerodynamics) Jean Jacques His(Engine Technical Director) Jean-Philippe Mercier(Project Manager - Engine) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | R202 | ||||||||||
| Successor | R24 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones operate an inboard titanium rocker via a pushrod system | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Titanium top and carbon fibre bottom wishbones operating vertically mountedtorsion bars and horizontally-mounted damper units mounted on the top of the gearbox casing | ||||||||||
| Length | 4,600 mm (181 in) | ||||||||||
| Width | 1,800 mm (71 in) | ||||||||||
| Height | 950 mm (37 in) | ||||||||||
| Axle track | 1,450 mm (57 in) on front; 1,400 mm (55 in) on rear | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 3,100 mm (122 in) | ||||||||||
| Engine | Renault RS23 3.0 L (183 cu in)V10 111°naturally-aspirated,mid engined, longitudinally-mounted | ||||||||||
| Transmission | Titanium longitudinal, semi-automatic sequential paddle shift, 6-speed + 1 reverse | ||||||||||
| Power | 830–850 hp (619–634 kW) @ 17,800 rpm[1][2] | ||||||||||
| Weight | 600 kg (1,323 lb) including driver and fuel | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Elf | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | Mild Seven Renault F1 Team | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 7. Jarno Trulli8.  Fernando Alonso | ||||||||||
| Debut | 2003 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| First win | 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last win | 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2003 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
TheRenault R23 was the car with which theRenault team competed in the2003 Formula One World Championship. It was driven by ItalianJarno Trulli, who was in his second season with the team, and SpaniardFernando Alonso, who replacedJenson Button after the Briton left forBritish American Racing.
The car was simply named "R23" since the team no longer had a connection withBenetton.
The chassis was designed byMike Gascoyne,Bob Bell,Tim Densham andJohn Iley withPat Symonds overseeing the design and production of the car as executive director of Engineering and Jean-Jacques His leading the engine design.
A "B specification" car, theR23B made its debut in Britain and used for the remainder of the season.
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 center of gravity of the engine and thus improve the car's handling. This eventually proved too unreliable and heavy, so Renault returned to a 72 degree vee angle with thefollowing year'sR24.
The Renault R23 was launched at an official ceremony inLucerne,Switzerland in January, 2003.[3] At this initial launch, it was confirmed sponsorMild Seven would be continuing to be the primary sponsor of the team.[4] Just days later, the Renault team re-launched the car at thePaul Ricard Circuit inFrance. The double launch was caused by Renault promising a branded car launch for sponsor Mild Seven, something that would be illegal in France.[5] Both Trulli and Alonso completed laps of the circuit in the car at Paul Ricard to begin the new season for the team.[6][7] The team had an extensive pre season test program, including former Toyota driver turned Renault reserve driverAllan McNish. Following the pre-season, the technical team including Pat Symonds were satisfied with the progress from 2002.[8][9]
The season started well, with both drivers scoring points at the2003 Australian Grand Prix. Alonso taking advantage of the new points system, allowing him to secure two points for seventh place.[10] At the following race in Malaysia, Fernando Alonso secured pole position. Alonso was both the youngest driver and first Spaniard to take a pole position in F1 at the time.[11] In the race, Alonso would finish in third taking his first podium in Formula One.[12][13]
.jpg)
At the third race of the season inBrazil, Alonso would once again take third place. However, the chaotic Grand Prix saw him secure this following a major accident with debris from an earlier crash caused byMark Webber in the Jaguar.[14] Whilst Trulli's form in the R23 began to falter, Alonso continued to impress scoring points on a regular basis and a career best second place at his home race, the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix.[15] Following a double retirement at the 2003 French Grand Prix, Renault introduced the R23B spec car for the British Grand Prix, an aerodynamic upgrade from the original R23.[16] It took Jarno Trulli to a third place podium just weeks later in Germany.[17]
The2003 Hungarian Grand Prix would be a momentous one for the team. Fernando Alonso won the race, becoming the youngest driver sinceBruce McLaren to do 44 years prior. In addition to being the first Spanish driver to win a race in history, Alonso also delivered the team's first victory sinceAlain Prost at the1983 Austrian Grand Prix as a full constructor and the1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix as an engine supplier.[18]
The final three races of the season saw Alonso score one point and two retirements, while teammate Trulli took the R23B to another two points scoring finishes.
The R23 and R23B steered Renault to a fourth-place finish in the Constructors' Championship with 88 points.[19]
The livery was similar to the previous season's design with subtle changes.
Renault used the Mild Seven logos, except at the French, British and United States Grands Prix.
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position, results initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Renault | R23 | RS23 3.0V10 | M | AUS | MAL | BRA | SMR | ESP | AUT | MON | CAN | EUR | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | ITA | USA | JPN | 88 | 4th | |
| Jarno Trulli | 5 | 5 | 8 | 13 | Ret | 8 | 6 | Ret | Ret | Ret | |||||||||||||
| Fernando Alonso | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | Ret | 5 | 4 | 4 | Ret | |||||||||||||
| R23B | Jarno Trulli | 6 | 3 | 7 | Ret | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Fernando Alonso | Ret | 4 | 1 | 8 | Ret | Ret |
