F1 News
Sad news for F1: One of the most successful names will exit the sport
On Monday, it was confirmed that Renault will leave Formula 1 after the 2025 season, with Alpine then becoming a customer team. This marks the end of Renault's tenure in F1. While the French engine manufacturer hasn't been at the top of the World Championship recently, they will leave the sport as one of the most successful engine suppliers in history.
How many World Championships did the Renault engine win?
The Renault engine has been used in 43 seasons of Formula 1 and formed part of a Constructors' World Championship-winning car on 12 occasions. Only the Ferrari engine, which has been used in all 75 seasons, has helped win more Constructors' World Championships.
The Renault engine first helped win a Constructors' World Championship in 1992 in the back of the Williams car. With Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese at the helm, Williams Renault knocked McLaren Honda off the top of the standings. The Renault engine won 10 races that season, twice as many as the previously successful Honda engine. The French engine suppliers helped win 12 titles in 21 years.
Period of engine dominance
Williams also won the constructors' title with the Renault engine in 1993 and 1994. They then signed a deal with Benetton, and Renault won the Constructor's title with them and the drivers' title with Michael Schumacher in 1995. In fact, a Renault engine remained in the Williams car that season, and the Grove-based team came second. The Renault engine helped win 16 of the 17 races that season.
Williams was successful again with the Renault engine in 1996, as Renault helped win 12 of the 16 races that season. Williams faced more competition from Ferrari in 1997 but still managed to win the Constructors' title that year as well. The Renault name left the sport but returned in 2001 with Benetton. Renault then became a works team in 2002, and they finished fourth.
With Fernando Alonso, Renault started to make progress, and the French team ended Ferrari and Michael Schumacher's winning streak. The Renault engine was the best again in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, Renault dipped, but they also supplied Red Bull. That turned out to be a very successful partnership as well.
With Sebastiaan Vettel, Red Bull won the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Constructors' and Drivers' World Championships with a Renault engine. However, the French team struggled when the turbo-hybrid era started in 2014 and hasn't been as successful since.
Stats and milestones for Renault
A Renault-titled engine has won 169 Grands Prix, with TAG Heuer (Renault) winning a further nine. Only three other engines have won more races. They are the third most successful engine suppliers when it comes to pole positions and the fourth most successful engine suppliers when it comes to podiums. Their departure from Formula 1 means the sport loses one of the biggest and most successful names.