Renault RE60
| Industry | Formula One racing |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | Formula One World Championship |
Key people | Bernard Dudot, Jean-Claude Migeot |
| Products | Formula One cars, Renault RE60 |
The Renault RE60 was a Formula One vehicle crafted by Bernard Dudot and Jean-Claude Migeot, campaigned by the Renault F1 squad during the season. The driving lineup featured Patrick Tambay and Derek Warwick, both of whom had also driven for Renault in 1984.
This model stood out as Renault's sole Formula One car fitted with Goodyear tyres and represented their last factory entry until their comeback in 2002.
Design and development
Building upon the foundation of the 1984 Renault RE50, the RE60 sustained Renault’s innovative application of turbocharged power units introduced in . Although the team had achieved race victories, they had yet to claim either the constructors' or drivers' championships.
Performance suffered due to major changes in personnel, including the exit of chief engineer Michel Têtu and internal restructuring within the team. Testing ahead of the season at Jacarepaguá demonstrated that the RE60 was approximately 3.5 seconds slower per lap than its predecessor. Derek Warwick described the car as "impossible to drive." An updated RE60B variant was unveiled at the 1985 French Grand Prix but failed to deliver better results.
Driver contracts
Niki Lauda had expressed his intention through a letter of intent to leave his 1984 championship-winning McLaren team for Renault in 1985, but this deal was never finalized, resulting in him staying with McLaren.
Derek Warwick initially held a contract with Renault only for 1984. During that year, Williams—powered by turbocharged Honda engines—offered him a seat for 1985 to replace Jacques Laffite, who was transferring to Ligier. Despite Honda’s limited achievements, Warwick believed Renault provided a stronger chance of winning and opted to renew his contract for 1985; Nigel Mansell ultimately took the Williams position.
Racing history
Early in the season, Renault’s best finishes were two third-place podiums secured by Tambay at the Portuguese and San Marino Grands Prix. Overall, the car proved less competitive compared to its predecessor, though Tambay managed to earn Renault’s final podium appearances.
Among teams utilizing the turbocharged Renault V6 engine, the factory Renault outfit ranked seventh in the Constructors' Championship with 16 points. They were surpassed by Lotus, which placed fourth with 71 points and three victories, as well as fellow French team Ligier, which finished sixth. Lotus drivers Ayrton Senna and Elio de Angelis contributed all of Lotus’s wins. Mid-season entrant Tyrrell scored three points using Renault engines.
Aftermath
The conclusion of the 1985 season marked the end of Renault’s official Formula One team. Nonetheless, Renault continued to supply turbocharged V6 and later naturally aspirated V10 engines to various teams until acquiring and rebranding Benetton at the end of the 2001 campaign. The decision to discontinue running a works team was driven by high operational costs, limited transfer of technology to road vehicles, and negative attention stemming from lackluster competitiveness.
Warwick later expressed regret over remaining with Renault, given that the 1985 Williams FW10, powered by Honda engines, secured four victories—including Mansell’s first two wins—while French teams boycotted the South African Grand Prix due to Apartheid protests encouraged by the French government. Mansell went on to claim 31 race wins and a World Championship title, whereas Warwick never achieved a Grand Prix victory nor drove another truly competitive car thereafter.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Team | Power Unit | Tyre Supplier | Competitor | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Points | Constructors' Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:F1 | Equipe Renault Elf | Renault Gordini EF4B / EF15 V6 tc |
Template:Goodyear | BRA | POR | SMR | MON | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | BEL | EUR | RSA | AUS | 16 | 7th | |
| Patrick Tambay | 5th | 3rd | 3rd | Retired | 7th | Retired | 6th | Retired | Retired | 10th | Retired | 7th | Retired | 12th | Retired | |||||||
| Derek Warwick | 10th | 7th | 10th | 5th | Retired | Retired | 7th | 5th | Retired | Retired | Retired | Retired | 6th | Retired | Retired | |||||||
| François Hesnault | Retired |
- Equipe Renault Elf abstained from participating in the 1985 South African Grand Prix as a result of international opposition to apartheid, in line with the sanctions imposed by the French government against South Africa.