Renault Sport R.S. 01

Renault Sport R.S. 01

Company type	Racing car
Industry	Motorsport
Predecessor	Renault Mégane Trophy
Founded	2014 (2014)
Headquarters	Guyancourt , France
Key people	Akio Shimizu (designer), Laurens van den Acker (design manager), Éric Diemert (design director)
Products	High-performance racing vehicle

The Renault Sport R.S. 01 is a high-performance racing vehicle created by Renault Sport, the motorsport division of the French car manufacturer Renault. Developed as the successor to the Renault Mégane Trophy, it initially took part in the Renault Sport Trophy single-make championship. Subsequently, after obtaining homologation for the Group GT3 category from the SRO Motorsports Group, the R.S. 01 broadened its competition scope into GT3-level racing.

Revealed at the 2014 Moscow International Automobile Salon, the R.S. 01 stands as Renault's most powerful purpose-built one-make race car and is distinguished by being the sole racer not based on any production model. Its chassis consists of a carbon-fiber monocoque constructed by Dallara, designed in compliance with the 2014 FIA LMP1 regulations to ensure cutting-edge performance and rigorous safety.

Car development

The design process took place at Renault's Guyancourt facility, led by Japanese designer Akio Shimizu under the guidance of design manager Laurens van den Acker and design director Éric Diemert. Diemert described the R.S. 01’s styling as intended to be distinctive and emblematic, likening its creation to that of a concept vehicle.

Built within five months, the R.S. 01 showcases a sleek, low-profile aerodynamic silhouette reminiscent of GT race car designs, featuring asymmetrical overhangs that reflect its structural layout and weight balance. Its styling draws inspiration from both the 2010 Renault DeZir concept car and the 2012 Alpine A110-50 racing prototype.

In-depth specifications

At its core, the R.S. 01 is equipped with a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged VR38DETT V6 engine sourced from the Nissan GT-R, extensively tuned by Nismo and Gibson Technology. Adapted for dry sump lubrication and arranged in a longitudinal mid-engine configuration, this powerplant delivers and , with a maximum engine speed of 6800 rpm. Power is routed through a Sadev 7-speed sequential transmission featuring ZF anti-stall clutch plates alongside a limited-slip differential. Shifts are electronically actuated via an XAP electromagnetic system controlled by paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The electronic control unit is a Pectel SQ6M system incorporating traction control, while data logging is managed by Cosworth’s ICD Pro system. The car achieves a top speed exceeding , generating downforce of at peak velocity.

The chassis structure is a carbon fiber monocoque crafted by Dallara, reinforced with a steel roll cage and crash structures conforming to 2014 FIA Le Mans Prototype LMP1 standards, resulting in a total weight of . Braking performance relies on 380 mm carbon discs supplied by PFC coupled with six-piston calipers and Bosch ABS technology. Braid manufactures the wheels, while Michelin provides custom tires sized 30/68 R18 at the front and 31/71 R18 at the rear. Suspension employs double wishbone pushrod setups front and rear, equipped with Öhlins two-way adjustable dampers.

Renault positions the R.S. 01’s capabilities between those typical of Group GT3 sports cars and Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Class One touring vehicles, aiming at competitive motorsport segments.

GT3 homologation

In 2015, following approval from the FFSA, Renault introduced the R.S. 01 into GT3 competition. To comply with class regulations, modifications were made including detuning the engine output to while maintaining torque levels. The vehicle’s weight increased by due to chassis reinforcements and additional ballast. Original carbon-ceramic braking components were replaced with steel discs; ride height was raised; and aerodynamic elements were adjusted accordingly.

R.S. 01 Interceptor

At the beginning of 2016, Renault introduced a police interceptor version of the R.S. 01, equipped with full law enforcement graphics, bright neon green accents, and flashing strobe lights. A promotional clip featured WRC legend Jean Ragnotti driving the interceptor in a high-velocity chase sequence.

Renault Sport Trophy

The Renault Sport Trophy revolved around the Renault Sport R.S. 01 as its flagship vehicle in a single-make competition that lasted two seasons before being discontinued in 2016 due to limited entries and elevated operational expenses. Champions in the Pro category included Andrea Pizzitola and Pieter Schothorst, while Dario Capitanio and Fabian Schiller triumphed in the Am division; team titles were claimed by Oregon Team and Marc VDS Racing Team.

Following the Trophy’s conclusion, the R.S. 01 transitioned to prototype class events within various racing series. In 2017, Equipe Verschuur and AFK Motorsport campaigned the car in the LMP3 category of the 2017 GT & Prototype Challenge, with Verschuur taking victory in Race 1 at Circuit Zandvoort but withdrawing from Race 2. The French outfit DEMJ secured a class win at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the 2018 24H GT Series. Additionally, the R.S. 01 was entered in the 2023 Caribbean Clash of Champions.

Group GT3

Shortly after concluding the 2015 Renault Sport Trophy, Renault broadened its motorsport involvement by developing the R.S. 01 GT3 variant tailored for Group GT3 competition. This version featured decreased engine output, added weight, and modified aerodynamic elements to adhere to regulatory standards. It gained homologation through the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile under the auspices of the SRO Motorsports Group and made its debut at Circuit Paul Ricard during the finale of the 2015 FFSA GT Championship. Both Boutsen-Ginion Racing and Duqueine Engineering entered cars in the Open class but faced early retirements. Monlau Competición also participated in the 2015 Supercar Challenge, achieving a race victory at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

During 2016, the R.S. 01 GT3 competed across several championships, including the 2016 24H Series, with Duqueine Engineering and V8 Racing campaigning in A6-Pro, while Equipe Verschuur and Boutsen-Ginion competed in A6-Am. V8 Racing secured its inaugural significant GT3 win at Mugello with drivers Luc Braams, Max Braams, Nicky Pastorelli, and Miguel Ramos. Equipe Verschuur and Boutsen-Ginion completed the season with second and third-place finishes respectively in Am class standings. The car also made a single outing in the International GT Open with V8 Racing, collecting four class victories and multiple podium finishes at Spa, Paul Ricard, Silverstone, and Red Bull Ring. Monlau Competición won half of their races during the Belgian rounds of the Supercar Challenge.

By 2017, GP Extreme was the sole team continuing to campaign the R.S. 01 within the 24H Series, competing simultaneously in A6-Pro and A6-Am categories and finishing fourth and thirteenth respectively. In parallel, AB Sport Auto entered the V de V Endurance Series with Eric van de Vyver behind the wheel, achieving two podium placements and securing third overall in GTV1 class.

In 2018, GP Extreme concentrated efforts on A6-Am competition within the 24H GT Series, claiming third place with car #27 while car #28 retired prematurely. AB Sport Auto made a single appearance in that year’s V de V Endurance Series round at Barcelona-Catalunya, winning without van de Vyver driving.

Following this period, appearances by the R.S. 01 became occasional; Equipe Verschuur participated sporadically in the 24H Series: retiring after completing 88 laps at Barcelona (2019), earning pole position but retiring early at Monza and Hockenheimring (2020), as well as securing pole yet retiring once more at Mugello (2021).

24 Hours of Nürburgring

During the 2017 and 2018 editions of the event, the German outfit mcchip-dkr.com entered the SP-X category with their Renault Sport R.S. 01. While they did not complete the race in 2017, the team improved significantly in 2018, achieving second place within their class and finishing 23rd overall.

Year	Team	Drivers	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2017	GTronix 360° Team mcchip-dkr	Dieter Schmidtmann Heiko Hammel Dominik Schwager	SP-X	88	Ret	Ret
2018	GTronix 360° Team mcchip-dkr	Dieter Schmidtmann Heiko Hammel Kuno Wittmer	SP-X	127	23rd	2nd

In video games

The Renault Sport R.S. 01 has been incorporated into a wide array of video games spanning mobile, console, and PC platforms, thereby boosting its brand exposure. This model is featured in popular titles including Asphalt 8: Airborne, Asphalt Legends Unite, Real Racing 3, Need for Speed: No Limits, Assoluto Racing, Nitro Nation, Top Drives, Project CARS, Project CARS 2, Project CARS 3, The Crew 2, Gran Turismo Sport, and Gran Turismo 7. Such digital appearances play a strategic role in Renault’s marketing efforts by engaging gamers with the car’s dynamic performance and sleek design.