20/02/2018
NEWS STORY
"It is a great source of pride for Groupe Renault and its employees to see the Renault name once again working its way to the sharp end of Formula 1," said Jerome Stoll, President of Renault Sport Racing as the French team unveiled its 2018 challnger, the RS18.
"Motor racing is an intrinsic part of the Renault DNA and from Formula E races in cities to rallying through to Formula 1, we have always achieved outstanding results.
"Renault Sport Formula One Team's ambition is clearly to uphold the outstanding record of the past and the 2017 season has confirmed we are on the right track. We are a team on the rise. We have two very talented drivers who are hungry for results. Enstone is regenerated and the workforce has already increased by more than 35%. At Viry, our long-term commitment in several motorsport categories allows to develop a detailed plan for our facilities.
"Our investment has so far been successfully translated to the track as we rose from ninth to sixth in the Constructors' Championship in 2017 and ended the year with the fourth fastest car.
"The success of the programme in just two years is testament to the resilient plan laid down early in the creation of the team and the strong job done by Cyril and the entire Renault Sport Racing teams. I am convinced year three will take us one step closer to the long-term aim: winning races and challenging for championships.
"We are equally satisfied with the results we are seeing off-track. Formula 1's new owners, have developed various marketing initiatives that have enabled the sport to grow into an even bigger brand and engage more closely with fans; steps forward which are incredibly important for us as the only mass market car constructor in the sport.
"Naturally one innovation we are delighted to see is the return of the French Grand Prix. Absent from the calendar for ten years, we have really felt its loss as a French manufacturer. But its comeback will give yet another opportunity for us to meet our fans and push the Renault brand.
"Our clients are also feeling the benefits of our accrued technical experience, with innovations crossing over from track to road at a rapid and increasing rate. There is constant dialogue between the teams at Renault and Renault Sport Formula One Team to improve the road-going experience of Renault Sport users. This will only grow as our participation in Formula 1 lengthens.
"The improved draw of the sport and our increasingly visible position within it, has created a strong marketing platform for both Groupe Renault and our valued partners. We are proud to be joined by partners such as BP Castrol, Infiniti, MAPFRE and RCI Bank, but also Microsoft, Eurodatacar, Estrella Galicia, Bell & Ross and many others.
"We look forward to another successful year, both on and off-track."
Drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz will be joined this year by Jack Aitken as third and reserve driver, while 2017 F2 runner-up Artem Markelov is the test and development driver.
Check out our Renault RS18 gallery, here.
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