Renault R25

Renault R25
	Mild Seven Renault F1 Team
Notable drivers	5. Fernando Alonso; 6. Giancarlo Fisichella
Debut	2005 Australian Grand Prix
First win	2005 Australian Grand Prix
Last win	2005 Chinese Grand Prix
Last event	2005 Chinese Grand Prix
Teams' Championships	1 ( 2005, Fernando Alonso)

The Renault R25 was the

2005 season. The chassis was designed by Bob Bell, James Allison, Tim Densham and Dino Toso with Pat Symonds overseeing the design and production of the car as executive director of Engineering and Bernard Dudot leading the engine design. The car won both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in 2005, the first titles for any car racing with a French licence since the Matra MS80's triumph in the 1969 season.^[3] It also secured the first championship titles for a Formula One car racing with a Renault engine since the Williams FW19 in 1997 and also first Enstone-based Formula One car to won the world constructors' championship since the Benetton B195 in 1995

.

History

During the season, the car turned out to be slower than the McLaren MP4-20 at numerous points, with the win tally being 8–10. Reliability and consistency prevailed in the end, with Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella taking the car to the last win and titles for a V10 powered Formula One car, marking the end of an era.

This car also claimed Michelin's first of only two titles since its return in Formula One, winning the title again with Renault (the R26 2006-spec car) in the 2006 season, the last for the French tyre maker. The R25 was the first Constructors' Championship winning car since 1991 not to have been designed by either Adrian Newey or Rory Byrne.

Over 19 races, it scored 191 points, 8 wins, 15 podiums and was fully out of the points just twice in 18 starts (not counting the United States Grand Prix where both Renault drivers, in common with all their fellow Michelin tyre runners, withdrew prior to starting).^[4]

The R25 was also the last Renault Formula One car to use a 6-speed gearbox before the switch to a mandatory 7-speed gearbox in

the following season

.

Sponsorship and livery

Renault used 'Mild Seven' logos, except at the Canadian, United States, French, British, Turkish, Italian, and Belgian Grands Prix.

Later uses

In

Episode 8 of Series 10 of the BBC show Top Gear, in 2007, presenter Richard Hammond drove the R25 around the Stowe Circuit at Silverstone, completing two laps.^[5]

On 11 December 2020 Alonso drove the car for the first time in 15 years, hours before the start of the first practice session shown on Sky Sports,^[6] and after the qualifying session for the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The car used Pirelli demo slick tyres, rather than the original Michelin grooved tyres.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest laps)

Year	Team	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	Points	WCC
2005	Renault	Renault V10	M		AUS	MAL	BHR	SMR	ESP	MON	EUR	CAN	USA	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	TUR	ITA	BEL	BRA	JPN	CHN	191	1st
				Fernando Alonso	3	1	1	1	2	4	1	Ret	DNS	1	2	1	11	2	2	2	3	3	1
				Giancarlo Fisichella	1	Ret	Ret	Ret	5	12	6	Ret	DNS	6	4	4	9	4	3	Ret	5	2	4

References

^ "Knutson: Noise maker". 17 November 2005.
^ "Here's Proof That Fernando Alonso Can Still Thrash His First Title-Winning Renault F1 Car". 11 December 2020.
^ 2005 Renault R25. Ultimate Car Page. Accessed March 23, 2012.
^ Renault R25. F1 Technical. Accessed March 23, 2012.
^ "Top Gear" Episode 10.8 (2007). IMDB.com. Accessed March 23, 2012.
^ Fernando Alonso returns to his 2005 V10 Renault at Abu Dhabi.

[1] "Knutson: Noise maker". 17 November 2005.

[2] "Here's Proof That Fernando Alonso Can Still Thrash His First Title-Winning Renault F1 Car". 11 December 2020.

[3] 2005 Renault R25. Ultimate Car Page. Accessed March 23, 2012.

[4] Renault R25. F1 Technical. Accessed March 23, 2012.

[5] "Top Gear" Episode 10.8 (2007). IMDB.com. Accessed March 23, 2012.

[6] Fernando Alonso returns to his 2005 V10 Renault at Abu Dhabi.

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