Renault RS10

Renault
Industry	Automotive, Motorsport
Founded	February 25, 1899; 127 years ago in France
Founder	Louis Renault, Marcel Renault, Fernand Renault
Headquarters	Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Products	Automobiles, Formula One cars
Website	www.renault.com

The Renault RS10 represented a major breakthrough in Formula 1 during the 1979 Formula One season, becoming the first turbocharged vehicle to claim victory at a Grand Prix, specifically at the 1979 French Grand Prix. This triumph signaled a fundamental technological evolution in F1, ushering in an era where powerful turbocharged engines dominated throughout the 1980s and leading to the gradual phase-out of naturally aspirated power units. Alongside its forerunner, the Renault RS01, the RS10 stands as one of the most innovative Grand Prix cars ever produced.

Development

The RS10 was developed by François Castaing, Michel Têtu, and Marcel Hubert as an advancement of the RS01, which initially functioned as a testbed for Renault's pioneering turbocharged engine technology. Originating from Renault’s Le Mans initiative, the RS01’s turbo engine was plagued by reliability problems, earning it the nickname "Yellow Teapot" due to frequent breakdowns.

Jean-Pierre Jabouille, recruited in 1977 for his engineering acumen and driving capabilities, spearheaded Renault’s F1 turbo program from 1977 through 1979. Despite early doubts and persistent mechanical issues, Renault remained committed to refining turbocharging technology.

Launched in 1979, the RS10 introduced notable improvements over its predecessor: it housed a Renault Gordini twin-turbocharged 1.5-litre V6 engine generating approximately 500 bhp, incorporated a new 6-speed manual transmission, and utilized a ground effect chassis. These enhancements elevated it into a formidable competitor and accelerated the widespread adoption of turbocharged engines within Formula One.

Racing history

The RS10 made its competitive entry one-third into the 1979 season at the 1979 Spanish Grand Prix. Initially, only a single car was available for Jean-Pierre Jabouille, retaining the single-turbo configuration from the RS01. By the Monaco Grand Prix, Renault expanded their lineup with a second car for René Arnoux that featured twin turbochargers for the first time.

Although reliability remained a challenge, the RS10’s competitive speed attracted significant attention. Over the final eight races of the season, it earned five pole positions and achieved a landmark victory on home soil at the 1979 French Grand Prix held at Dijon-Prenois. Mechanical issues curtailed additional successes; however, Jabouille’s win in Dijon—powered entirely by French components including chassis, engine, tires, and fuel (Elf)—was a major milestone following years of development struggles.

Legacy

What started as a bold experiment quickly compelled rivals such as Ferrari and Brabham (powered by BMW engines) to initiate their own turbocharging programs throughout the 1980s. Other teams like McLaren (TAG-Porsche) and Williams (Honda) soon followed suit. As turbocharged cars enhanced both power output and reliability, forced induction became standard among leading teams, while smaller British outfits such as Tyrrell—the last prominent team to adopt turbos—faced competitive difficulties due to financial constraints.

By 1986, turbo engines were producing staggering power levels (with BMW’s four-cylinder reportedly near , and Renault’s around ), which led to regulatory measures capping boost pressure—4.0 Bar in and 2.5 Bar in —before turbos were ultimately banned completely in . Although Renault never secured a championship with their turbo technology, they achieved two second-place finishes. Their groundbreaking work during the late 1970s triggered a transformative period in Formula One engine engineering.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (pole positions are shown in bold; fastest laps appear in italics)

Year	Team	Power Unit	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Points	WCC
Template:F1	Equipe Renault Elf	Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5-litre V6 with turbocharging	Template:Michelin		ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA	26	6th
				Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall Jean-Pierre Jabouille					Retired	Retired	8th	1st	Retired	Retired	Retired	Retired	14th	Retired	Retired
				Template:Country data FRA Template:Namespace detect showall René Arnoux							Retired	3rd	2nd	Retired	6th	Retired	Retired	Retired	2nd

References

http://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/433 http://www.f1-grandprix.com/history5.html#Turbos