Motorsport written in our history

Very early on, Louis Renault became aware of the importance of sporting achievements in the development of brand image. On 24 December 1898, he proved the superiority of his first great innovation: direct drive transmission. His Type A Voiturette was the first to climb Montmartre hill along Rue Lepic. Following this success, Renault made a commitment to automotive competition, going on to win a series of Grand Prix victories. The Renault Type K, with the first engine designed by Renault, won fame in the 1902 Paris to Vienna race. The First World War put automotive competition in Europe on hold. But Renault did not stay away from motorsport for long. The diamond brand returned to glory in the 1920s with the impressive Renault 40CV. Winning the 1925 Monte Carlo Rally, it found fame by beating many track speed records of the time.

In 1958, Renault appointed Italian constructor Amédée Gordini as head of the motorsport division. The legendary Renault 8 Gordini was born. It went on to become a symbol of success for a whole generation of drivers. Its huge popularity led to the creation in 1966 of the Renault 8 Gordini Cup, the first ever one-make racing series. In July 1970, the launch of the Renault 12 Gordini led to 'G Day', a gathering of Gordini owners at the Paul Ricard Circuit. The spirit of this event continues today through the World Series by Renault. At the same time, Formula Renault made its debut with the first cars fitted with the Renault 12 Gordini engine. France played host to its first Formula Renault championship in 1971.

In 1973, Renault became the majority shareholder of Alpine, a small French manufacturer founded by Jean Rédélé, with which the brand had had links for many years. 1973 proved to be a good year for the brand as the Alpine A110 "Berlinette" won the first World Rally Championship.

Renault Sport was officially founded in 1976 while a single-seater competition programme was launched: Formula 2, Sport Le Mans, then Formula One in 1977. Renault started out in Formula One as a team. The brand led the way with a key innovation: the turbo. While its competitors used naturally-aspirated engines, Renault lined up a V6 turbocharged powerhouse. At the same time, Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud won the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans in their Alpine-Renault A442B, powered by the Renault V6 turbo engine. The diamond brand got its first Formula One win in 1979, at the French Grand Prix, with Jean-Pierre Jabouille behind the wheel of the RS11.

In the early 1980s, Renault won 15 Grands Prix and finished second in the 1983 World Championship thanks to Alain Prost, before withdrawing from the competition at the end of the 1985 season. Renault's gamble with the turbo engine, which nobody believed in at the time, really paid off.

In 2016, we returned to Formula One as an official constructor.

We have proved our worth at the heart of the sport over these past three years. We have really shined on the track with some great battles and fine performances. Off the track, we have established innovative marketing and public relations activities to increase our audience and engagement from fans.