Renault Sport

Formerly	Renault Sport (1976–2002) Renault Sport Technologies (2002–2015)[1] Renault Sport Racing/Renault Sport Cars (2016–2021) Renault Sport division of theAlpine business unit (2021–2023)
Company type	Division
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1976 (first company)[2]
Defunct	December 2023; 1 year ago (2023-12)[3]
Products	Sports cars
Divisions	Gordini Renault Tech

Renault Sport (French pronunciation:[ʁənospɔʁ]) orRenaultsport, was amotorsport, performance and special vehicles division forRenault-badged cars and later a sub-badge of Renault cars managed byAlpine. The first Renault Sport was officially established as a company in 1976 as amerger between the Alpine andGordini competition departments.^[4] It was made a division and reorganised in 2002 and 2016. In December 2021, all Renault Sport operations were merged into an Alpine-led business unit.^[3] The Renault Sport car range under Alpine was completely phased out by the end of 2023.

Renault Sport was created at the end of 1976, when Renault closed down theAlpine competition department (at that time, its main motorsport division), located atDieppe, and moved all the racing activities to the Gordini factory atViry-Châtillon,^[5][6] just outsideParis.^[6][7][8] The Dieppe-based Alpine department specialised in the construction of race car chassis while the Viry-Châtillon-based Gordini focussed on engines. However, several conflicts emerged between them, and Renault took the decision to unify both departments into a single location in order to achieve a greater integration and harmony.^[4] The company concentrated principally on developing a car for Formula One, although it also participated in other series.

In 2002, the Viry-Châtillon factory became the engine department of theRenault F1 team and Renault Sport was moved toLes Ulis and renamed Renault Sport Technologies (RST).^[9]

On 3 February 2016, Renault announced a reorganisation of its racing and performance activities. The Formula One operation and RST's former motorsport branch were put under the new Renault Sport Racing division. RST's former roadcar branch at Les Ulis became the Renault Sport Cars division.^[10]

In January 2021, the Alpine company announced it would absorb both Renault Sport Racing and Renault Sport Cars to form an Alpine business unit.^[11] The Renault Sport range, under Alpine, is slowly being phased out. The final new Renault Sport-badged car, theMegane Renault Sport Ultime (a variant of the fourth-generation Megane model) introduced in early 2023, was set to cease production in late 2023.^[12]

Gordini-tuned Renault cars won many rallies during the 1950s and 1960s, and Alpine, being a subsidiary of Renault, won the firstWorld Rally Championship (WRC) in 1973. In the WRC, Renault had some success with cars such as theR5 Turbo and theR17 Gordini until it left international rallying in late 1994^[13] (although it continued competing in national and promotional rally series).

TheEuropean Rally Championship was won three times by a Renault car (1999, 2004, 2005).^{[citation needed]}

On 21 February 2013, Renault Sport Technologies announced its official return to international rallying in the European Rally Championship.^[14][15]

Season	Victories	WMC	Points
1974†	Press-on-Regardless Rally:Jean-Luc Thérier (Renault 17 Gordini)	10th	23
1975†	-	15th	8
1976	-	14th	6
1977	-	11th	18
1978	-	9th	33
1979	-	7th	41
1980	-	13th	12
1981	Monte Carlo Rally:Jean Ragnotti (Renault 5 Turbo)	7th	61
1982	Tour de Corse:Jean Ragnotti (Renault 5 Turbo)	6th	34
1983	-	5th	27
1984	-	5th	55
1985	Tour de Corse:Jean Ragnotti (Renault R5 Maxi Turbo)	6th	38
1986	Rally of Portugal:Joaquim Moutinho (Renault 5 Turbo)	7th	14
1987	-	3rd	71
1988	-	6th	32
1989	Rallye Côte d'Ivoire:Alain Oreille (Renault 5 GT Turbo)	7th	30
1990	-	6th	24
1991	-	9th	4
1992	-	8th	9
1993	-	NC	-
1994	-	NC	-
Source:[16]

† Without Renault Sport assistance.

Year	Entrant	Car	No	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	JWRC	Points
2003	Renault Sport	Renault Clio S1600	61	Brice Tirabassi	MON 1	TUR Ret	GRE 1	FIN 2	ITA Ret	ESP 1	GBR Ret			1st	38
2004	Renault Sport	Renault Clio S1600	39	Nicolas Bernardi	MON 1	GRE 2	TUR Ret	FIN 3	GBR Ret	ITA 6	ESP 1			2nd	37
			51	Larry Cols	MON 5	GRE 4	TUR Ret	FIN 6	GBR Ret	ITA 4	ESP 5			6th	21
2006	Renault Sport	Renault Clio S1600	41	Patrik Sandell	SWE 2	ESP	FRA	ARG 2	ITA 1	GER	FIN 7	TUR 11	GBR 6	1st	32
			51	Fatih Kara	SWE	ESP 7	FRA 6	ARG	ITA Ret	GER 7	FIN	TUR 9	GBR Ret	16th	7
			52	Bernd Casier	SWE	ESP 2	FRA 10	ARG	ITA Ret	GER 2	FIN	TUR 8	GBR Ret	11th	17
2007	Renault Sport	Renault Clio R3	31	Patrik Sandell	NOR 2	POR 15	ITA 8	FIN 1	GER EX	ESP	FRA			6th	19
			48	Kalle Pinomäki	NOR 10	POR 9	ITA Ret	FIN 2	GER 9	ESP Ret	FRA			11th	8

In 1979, the Marreau brothers finished in second place in the cars category at theRally Dakar driving aSinpar-prepared4L4x4. They won the 1982 edition with a Renault Sport backedRenault 20Turbo 4x4.^[17] Later, Renault Sport powered and sponsored theSchlesser-RenaultElfbuggies which won the 1999^[18] and 2000 editions.^[19] The 1999 car was the firsttwo-wheel drive Dakar winner.^[20]

Renault was one of the first car manufacturers involved in theFormula E (FE) championship.^[21] For theinaugural season, Renault Sport became a technical partner of the series,^[22] also agreeing a title sponsorship deal with thee.dams team^[23] which achieved the first FE teams' championship.^[21] Before the2015–16 season, following the introduction of new rules allowing the development of the electric powertrains used in the FE's Spark chassis, Renault announced it would entry as a supplier for e.dams.^[21] The new powertrain manufactured by Renault Sport was named Renault ZE 15.^[24] For the2016–17 season, Renault added the Chinese teamTecheetah as a powertrain client.^[25] In October 2017, Renault Sport Racing announced it would withdraw from FE at the end of the2017–18 season.^[26]

(key) (results inbold indicate pole position, results initalics indicate fastest lap)

Season	Entrant	Chassis	Powertrain	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Points	TC
2015–16	Renault e.dams	Spark	Renault ZE 15	M		BEI	PUT	PDE	BNA	MEX	LBH	PAR	BER	LON				270	1st
					Nicolas Prost	Ret	10	5	5	3	11	4	4	1	1
					Sébastien Buemi	1	Ret	1	2	2	16	3	1	5	Ret
2016–17	Renault e.dams	Spark	Renault ZE 16	M		HKG	MAR	BNA	MEX	MON	PAR	BER		NYC		MTR		268	1st
					Nicolas Prost	4	4	4	5	9	5	5	8	8	6	6	Ret
					Sébastien Buemi	1	1	1	13	1	1	DSQ	1			DSQ	11
					Pierre Gasly									7	4
	Techeetah
					Jean-Éric Vergne	Ret	8	2	2	Ret	Ret	8	6	2	8	2	1	156	5th
					Qing Hua Ma	Ret	15	16
					Esteban Gutiérrez				10	8	12
					Stéphane Sarrazin							11	14	3	12	3	8
2017–18	Renault e.dams	Spark	Renault ZE 17	M		HKG		MAR	SAN	MEX	PDE	ROM	PAR	BER	ZÜR	NYC		133	5th
					Nicolas Prost	9	8	13	10	Ret	15	14	16	14	Ret	10	11
					Sébastien Buemi	11	10	2	3	3	Ret	6	5	4	5	3	4
	Techeetah
					André Lotterer	DSQ	13	Ret	2	13	12	3	6	9	4	7	9	262	2nd
					Jean-Éric Vergne	2	4	5	1	5	1	5	1	3	10	5	1

From 1977 to 1986 and again between 1989 and 1997, Renault Sport was in charge of Renault's Formula One programme.^[27]Renault Sport F1, created at the end of 2010 and active until 2015, was a subsequent incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula One and was headquartered in Viry-Châtillon, which functioned as a semi-independent operation.^[28][29][30] In 2016, the Formula One operation became part of Renault Sport Racing.^[10] In September 2020, the Renault company said it would repurpose the F1 team to promote Alpine.^[31]

Alpine constructed various chassis and prepared engines forFormula Two (F2). In 1973, Renault-Gordini (later Renault Sport) introduced a two-litre V6 engine for F2, theCH, which was the basis of its future Le Mans and F1 engines.^[32]Jean-Pierre Jabouille andRené Arnoux won the 1976 and 1977European Formula Two Championships with Renault-powered cars.^[33]

(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)

Entrant	Chassis	Engine	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Driver's Championship	Points
Écurie Renault Elf	Martini MK16/MK19	Renault-Gordini CH1
			Patrick Tambay	3	3	2	3	Ret	3	Ret	3	Ret	Ret	1	Ret	3rd	39
			René Arnoux	2	7	Ret	4	1	5	10	2	1	1	Ret	3	2nd	52
Equipe Elf Switzerland	Elf 2J		Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Ret	14	1	6	3	4	2	1	4	2	Ret	1	1st	53
			Michel Leclère	Ret	Ret	4	1	Ret	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	3	2	4th	33

(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)

Entrant	Chassis	Engine	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Driver's Championship	Points
Écurie Renault Elf	Martini MK22	Renault-Gordini CH1
			René Arnoux	1	Ret	2	5	Ret	1	16	Ret	1	Ret	1	2	6	1st	52
			Didier Pironi	Ret	Ret	Ret	4	2	2	Ret	3	Ret	4	5	1	3	3rd	38
Willy Kauhsen Renault Elf Racing Team	Kauhsen (Elf 2J)		Michel Leclère	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	DNS	DNQ	15		DNQ	10		—	0
			Klaus Ludwig	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	DSQ	7								—	0
			José Dolhem								Ret						—	0
			Alain Prost									10			Ret		—	0
			Vittorio Brambilla											Ret			—	0
			Mário Silva												DNQ		—	0

Note: During this season Scuderia Everest also entered Renault-powered cars, although those were not supplied by Renault Sport.

Gordini and Alpine-tuned Renault engines were used in variousFormula Three (F3) series since the 1960s. Alpine (a partially owned subsidiary of Renault since 1973) also developed cars for the category.^[32] In 1979,Alain Prost won theFIA European Formula Three Championship with a Renault engine prepared byOreca. The last victory of a Renault engine before its withdrawal from the formula at the end of 2003 was in the2003 Macau Grand Prix with aSodemo-tuned unit from aSignature Team'sDallara car driven byNicolas Lapierre.^[34][35]

Renault Sport Technologies announced its return to F3 as an engine supplier with Oreca again as engine tuner for the 2014 FIA European Formula Three Championship.^[36] However, this was indefinitely halted because of the lack of power of the Oreca-tuned engine compared to rivals.^[37]

Renault Sport was responsible for Renault'ssports car racing entries during the 1970s, including their win at the1978 24 Hours of Le Mans race with theRenault Alpine A442.^[38]

Capitalising on the growing reputation and success of theSuper Touring regulations introduced in the early 1990s, Renault made the decision to enter theBritish Touring Car Championship in 1993 with reigning championTim Harvey andAlain Menu signed as their drivers.^[39] Renault's first BTCC effort was based on theRenault 19 chassis, initially developed by test driverJean Ragnotti. Success was almost immediate as Harvey and Menu scored a win each in 1993, before the 19 was replaced with the newRenault Laguna for 1994. The Laguna lent itself as a more competitive proposition than its predecessor and went on to be a highly successful car throughout its racing life, the highlight being in 1997 when Alain Menu took 12 victories on his way to the championship.^[40]

In 2011, aDacia Duster car prepared for Renault Sport Technologies, Sodemo andTork Engineering and fitted with aNissan GT-R engine participated at thePike's Peakhillclimbing.^[41]

In 1994, Renault discontinued the Alpine marque, badging since then its sport cars manufactured at the Dieppe factory as Renault Sport, beginning with theRenault Sport Spider in 1996.^[42] The production of Renault Sport cars for the mainstream markets at Dieppe ended in 2018. Renault Sport models are also produced atRenault Spain's Palencia factory (Mégane Renault Sport).^[43]

• Spider (1996–1999)
• Clio Renault Sport (1998–2018)
• Twingo GT (2016–2019)

• 

  Twingo Renault Sport (2011–2013)

• 

  Sandero RS (2015–2021; only South America)^[44]
• Clio GT/RS Line (2013–2023)^[45]
• Megane GT/RS Line (2010–2023)^[46]
• Megane Renault Sport (2004–2023)
• Arkana RS Line (2021–2023)
• Captur RS Line (2021–2023)^[47]

Renault Sport is in charge of the conception and manufacturing of the Gordini-badged sport cars^[48] and also of modifying cars and vans for special purposes (transporting people with reduced mobility, driving school cars, business fleets) through its division Renault Tech.^[49][50]

• Les Ulis (car development, management)
• Viry-Châtillon (racing car development, marketing)

• Manufacturer of limited edition sport and special purpose models
• Competitor in motorsport events, for example:
  • Rallying
  • Organisation of single-model vehicle championships
• Organiser or/and sponsor of theFormula Renault national and international championships
• Organiser of theRenault Sport Series on circuits
• Former shareholder inSMA Engines; an aircraft engine manufacturer, an alliance of RST,EADS andSAFRAN

Renault Sport organises several national and international one-make racing championships.

• Formula Renault 2.0L and 1.6L
• Renault Clio Cup
• Dacia Logan Cup

Many international subsidiaries of Renault have their own Renault Sport division, including Renault UK,^[51]Renault Argentina,^[52] Renault Spain and Renault Italy,^[53] among others.

Renault is also involved in other racing series but not as Renault Sport.

• Renault Clio
  • French Super Production Championship
  • Belgian Procar Championship
  • BTCC withRenault Laguna Williams
  • Endurance Touring Car Series
• Renault Mégane/Renault Fluence
  • TC2000 Argentina (1984–2011,^[54] currently the participation is in charge of the local Renault Sport branch).^[52]
• Renault Spider:
  • Spanish GT Championship (1999?–2000?)
• Renault 8 Gordini:
  • Springbok Series (1966–1971)^[55]
• Renault 4CV
  • 24 hours of Le Mans (1949–1954)^[56]
  • Renault Alpine A110: In 1971 Alpine achieved a 1–2–3 finish in the Monte Carlo rally, using cars with engines derived from theRenault 16. In 1973, they repeated the 1–2–3 Monte Carlo result and went on to win the World Rally championship outright.

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• V6 Clio owners club
• Clio 16v owners club
• Renault Sport Italia
• Renaultsport Megane range site
• ClioSport owners club
• Clio197 owners club

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