Groupe Renault Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn revealed Renault’s complete motorsport plans earlier this week for the 2016 season, and how the Renault Sport subsiduary will be managed by two entities: Renault Sport Racing and Renault Sport Cars.
Renault Sport Racing will encompass all of Renault’s motorsport activities, including the newly formed Renault Sport Formula One Team, Renault e.dams Formula E team, Formula Renault 2.0, Renault Sport R.S.01 Trophy, plus further customer racing and rallying programmes. Renault Sport Racing will cover operations at the two Renault motorsport sites at Enstone, UK, and Viry–Châtillon, France.
At the core of the racing activities will be the newly-created Renault Sport Formula One Team. The new F1 challenger consists of the Renault R.S.16 chassis, developed and manufactured in Enstone, whilst the Renault R.E.16 power unit will continue to be developed in Viry-Châtillon.
A number of key appointments have been made in the F1 team to avoid any dilution of the specific requirements of Formula One. Bob Bell is appointed F1 Chief Technical Officer and will manage the efforts of Nick Chester as Chassis Technical Director and Rémi Taffin as Engine Technical Director. Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer are confirmed as Renault Sport Formula One Team’s race drivers, and will be supported by Esteban Ocon, who joins the team as Third and Reserve Driver.
Former Renault Sport Technologies customer racing staff will now come under the banner of Renault Sport Racing under the continued management of Jean-Pascal Dauce. The new organisation is billed as allowing Renault to connect more efficiently the various categories to which it is currently committed, from rallying with the Clio R3T, rallye raid, and one-make track series including the Clio Cup and Renault Sport R.S.01 Trophy. Renault will also continue its Formula Renault 2.0 single-seater series.
Renault’s Formula E activity will also come under Renault Sport Racing. Renault has committed to the championship until at least season 4 with the Renault e.dams team. Over the next seasons Renault Sport Racing will develop and supply a full powertrain composed of gearbox and electric motor to the team. Targets are ambitious, with an objective to win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ title.
Renault Sport Racing will be headed by Jérôme Stoll as President, supported by Cyril Abiteboul as Managing Director. Frédéric Vasseur will report to the latter as Racing Director, responsible for sporting and technical matters.
