Renault RS01

Renault

Industry	Automotive, Motorsport
Founded	February 25, 1899 (1899-02-25) in France
Founder	Louis Renault, Marcel Renault, Fernand Renault
Headquarters	France
Products	Automobiles, Formula One cars

The Renault RS01 holds the distinction of being the inaugural Formula One vehicle equipped with a turbocharged engine and the first to implement Michelin radial tyres. Crafted by designers André de Cortanze and Jean-Pierre Jabouille, its first appearance occurred at the 1977 British Grand Prix. During this era, F1 regulations permitted either a 3.0-litre naturally aspirated engine or a 1.5-litre turbocharged or supercharged unit. While many competitors relied on Ford Cosworth DFV engines, and manufacturers such as Ferrari, Matra, and Alfa Romeo developed Flat-12 configurations, Renault opted for an alternative path by creating a 1.5-litre turbocharged powerplant paired with a purpose-built chassis.

This groundbreaking concept established Renault as a trailblazer in turbocharging within Formula One, seeking to capitalize on the advantages of forced induction amid a field largely dominated by larger naturally aspirated engines.

Development

At a time when Team Lotus was innovating with ground effect through the Lotus 78, and Tyrrell introduced the six-wheeled Tyrrell P34, Renault concentrated its efforts on turbocharged engine advancement. The company leveraged experience from their successful 2.0L V6 engine utilized in Sports car racing, which achieved second place at the 1977 Le Mans and won in 1978, demonstrating that turbocharged engines could deliver both strength and dependability.

Upon introduction, the RS01 appeared bulky and heavy, indicative of its experimental status. Jean-Pierre Jabouille, serving as both driver and development lead, guided its evolution. The engine featured a cast iron block designed to withstand turbocharging stresses, while the chassis was deliberately kept straightforward to ease testing procedures.

Race history

The RS01 was plagued by persistent reliability challenges, earning the moniker 'the yellow teapot' due to frequent breakdowns accompanied by white smoke emissions. Despite these difficulties, Jabouille and his team continued development throughout 1977 and 1978, eventually earning points with a fourth-place finish at the 1978 United States Grand Prix held at Watkins Glen. Ongoing refinements substantially transformed the RS01, enhancing dependability and mitigating turbo lag through the adoption of twin turbochargers.

At the outset of the following season, Jabouille claimed the first-ever pole position for a turbocharged car during the high-altitude South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. The reduced air density at this venue favored turbocharged engines over naturally aspirated competitors like the flat 12 units from Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, as well as the V8 Cosworth DFV. Within three years, leading manufacturers including Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, BMW, Honda, and Porsche had embraced turbocharged powerplants.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (bold denotes pole position; italics signify fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
Template:F1	Equipe Renault Elf	Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5L V6 (tc)	Template:Michelin		ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	MON	BEL	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN	JPN	0	NC
				Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Jean-Pierre Jabouille										Ret			Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ
Template:F1	Equipe Renault Elf	Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5L V6 (tc)	Template:Michelin		ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	MON	BEL	ESP	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN		3	12th
				Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Jean-Pierre Jabouille			Ret	Ret	10	NC	13	Ret

• Points scored using Renault RS10 thereafter.

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Sources

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Formula One authored by David Tremayne

Further reading

• Alpine & Renault: Evolution of the Groundbreaking Turbocharged F1 Vehicle