Renault

**Renault**

## Season Results

Complete Results for Renault in Formula One (UniONE CAREER results only).

### **2016 (UniONE CAREER S3)**

Buying out the Lotus team late in 2015, Renault had little time to develop a fully race ready car for 2016. This lead to the French outfit running a revised version of the Lotus E23H chassis, with alterations made to accommodate the Renault Power Unit. Using 2016 mainly as a development season, Daniel Ricciardo would take a shock win at Singapore - Renault's first victory since 2008, and first podium since 2011.

### **2017 (UniONE CAREER S4)**

Renault came into 2017 off the back of using 2016 as a development season. However, the regulation changes for 2017 rendered a majority of the data Renault gained useless. Despite starting on the back foot, Renault were able to progress up the order from 2016 to challenge firmly in the midfield.

### **2018 (UniONE CAREER S5)**

Renault quietly went about their business over the winter break, and looked to be closing in on the established names at the top of the pecking order. With McLaren the only other team running Renault power for 2018, Renault had designed their Power Unit in conjunction with the RS34 chassis. Single lap pace seemed promising, however the team still looked to lacking pace over a race stint.

Come the Mid-Season test, Renault found themselves in a no-mans-land in 8th in the Constructor's. On the second day of the test, it was announced that returning champion Jean-Eric Vergne would replace Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the season and for 2019.

### **2019 (UniONE CAREER S5)**

Renault look to continue the forward momentum from the second half of the 2018 season, looking to be top of the mid field at a minimum. The team have set themselves the target of breaking clear of the 'best of the rest' and make strides towards the top 5 teams. Renault are also targeting 3 podium finishes throughout the season.

Despite an underwhelming qualifying in the opening round, both Hulkenberg and Vergne would finish in the points. Hulkenberg came close to his first podium finish since 2015 at the Spanish Grand Prix, but lost out to the McLaren of Lando Norris in the late stages.

Following the British Grand Prix, Toyota submitted a 12 page report to the FIA that Renault were using an illegal automated break bar system on their cars. Such a system is against the sporting regulations, as the drivers must drive the cars unaided, baring a fault. Following an investigation after the British Grand Prix, Renault were found guilty of using such system. They were subsequently disqualified from the race results. An investigation was then launched into if Renault had been using this system prior to the last race. Before any result was concluded, Renault admitted to using the system at every race. This lead to the team being excluded from every race and all their points up to now have been wiped in both the Driver's and Constructor's championships. however, since Renault admitted to using the system, they were still able to compete in the remaining races.

Hulkenberg would rescore his first points of the season at the next race in Germany, finishing 10th. For the Belgian Grand Prix, Renault brought some ultra low-drag wings, dubbed 'Zero-Zero Wings'. The aim was to maximise the straight line performance of the cars, whilst sacrificing any cornering ability the cars had. Hulkenberg seemed to grasp the handling characteristics of the car better than Vergne. The German would start the race from third, and go on to finish the race in second, setting the fastest lap in the process. Vergne could only manage thirteenth in qualifying, and would be involved in an incident in the race, taking away any chance of the 2017 Driver's Champion re-scoring his first points of 2019. Vergne would finish the next race in 9th to re-score his first points of the season.

The season was cut short by four races, leaving Renault a dismal 9th on only 39 points. If the team were able to keep the points they had before the Summer Break, the team would've finished 7th for the third season in a row on 75 points.

### **2020 (Season 7)**

Renault look to put the misery of 2019 behind them. A season in which they were expected to make a push towards the top teams left them languishing near the bottom of the grid. However the team in yellow look to be somewhat of a dark horse. Verge managed to post some blistering lap times, even topping the morning session on day two. On more consistent running, both Renault cars looked to still be somewhat in the midfield, if not on the edges of the top cars. With Renault now still supplying McLaren with customer engines, it's pivotal that Renault beat their customer supplied teams to convince the higher ups to keep up their involvement in F1.

Renault focused most on improving airflow over the front of the car, aiming to increase front downforce, as the main flaw with the 2019 car was moving the air over the top of the car. Early indication is the design shows promise, as the car looks faster in all areas compared to its predecessor.

Fast-tracked upgrades for round 2 significantly improved the RS36. Both cars started in the top 5, and finished third and fourth. Vergne would make good on Renault's upgrades at Brazil, finishing second. Hulkenberg continued Renault's for in Spain, with another second place finish. Hulkenberg took pole for the Monaco Grand Prix, but lost the chance at the win after being held up in traffic. At the Italian Grand Prix, the German made the most of the improved 2020 Renault engine to finish on the podium.

Vergne took his first pole of the season at round 11, the German Grand Prix. The Frenchman went on to finish fifth in the race. That would be the highlight of Vergne's season. The 2017 World Champion left the team ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, after learning he would lose his seat in 2021. Esteban Ocon stepped in to replace his countryman, and was later revealed to be the driver Renault had signed for next season. Ocon had a quiet, but clean race to finish fifth on debut for Renault. Hulkenberg came close again to winning his first race since 2014, battling with the Red Bull of Max Verstappen for the win of the Chinese Grand Prix, ultimately finishing under a second behind the Dutchman.

### **2021 (Season 8)**

Although it may not have felt like it at the time, Renault made significant progress up the order for the first time since their return in 2016. A race win eluded the French outfit, but their consistent results and better understanding of their car lead them to third in the Championship.

Renault took to the track with a fresh look to the front of the RS37, the new design building off their work from 2020 to better the air flow over the top of the car. These improvements appear to have worked wonders, through medium and high speed corners, the Renault looks more planted than ever. The only weakness looks to be through slow speed corners.

The Renault engine once again looks to be improved, and with no other team to supply current spec engines this season, the teams around Renault will have to set the benchmark to beat for performance. Since Renault's return to F1, Infiniti branding has been prominent with the team, even spending time as title sponsor, but for 2021 Dubai Logistics company DP World take over as title sponsor.

Renault come into 2021 with a whole new driver lineup. Frustration in the team grew with Hulkenberg and Vergne at not securing a race victory, and losing out to Alfa Romeo for second overall due to lack of consistency from both drivers. Esteban Ocon is given a full time drive, after missing out last season, and expected to be the team number 1. That was untill Renault made the name signing of the decade, and sign three-time World Champion Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard not quite ready to hang up his helmet yet. The now 39 year old looks to have come back to a competitive Renault outfit and will look to emulate Prost, Fangio, Schumacher and Vettel by claiming a fourth world title.

Renault F1 CEO and team Principul, Cyril Abiteboul, later revealed that he 'had been in initial talks with Vettel about partnering Ocon, but those talks came to an end once Alonso became available.

Alonso's return to form was instant. The three-time Champion put his RS37 on pole for the season opening Canadian Grand Prix. A controlled drive lead the Spaniard to win on his third debut for the Enstone based team. Ocon would struggle somewhat in the opening race. After being shown up in qualifying by Alonso, Ocon would have a rather uneventful race in the midfield, before retiring in the closing laps. Alonso returned to dominant ways at the Mexican Grand Prix, starting from pole, leading every lap and taking a controlled win. Team mate Ocon finished a strong 3rd, to give Renault the lead in the Constructor's Standings.

Alonso lucked into a win at the Dutch Grand Prix. The Alfa Romeo of Kevin Magnussen was the class of the field, but retired mid race with a Ferrari engine failure. Unchallenged from the cars behind, the Spaniard controlled the rest of the race.

Alonso took Renault's 40th victory in F1 at the British Grand Prix. Trailing the Alfa Romeo of Josh Tirowee in the first half of the race, the Spaniard managed to get the jump on the defending Champion at the Safery Car restart. From there, Alonso was able to control the pace and hold off a last lap assault from the Brit to take the victory.

The shortened season brought Alonso title glory. The Spaniard claimed his 4th Driver's Championship, beating Josh Tirowee by 8 points. Renault claim their first Championship since 2006.

## Racing Record (UniONE CAREER Results Only)

Results in **bold**, indicate Championships won.