merger between the Alpine and Gordini competition departments.[4] It was made a division and reorganised in 2002 and 2016. In December 2021, all Renault Sport operations were merged into an Alpine-led business unit.[3]
The Renault Sport car range under Alpine was completely phased out by the end of 2023.
History
A Renault R5 Maxi TurboOld Renault Sport's logo used from the mid-1980s to 2004Renault Alpine A110
Renault Sport was created at the end of 1976, when Renault closed down the
Dieppe, and moved all the racing activities to the Gordini factory at Viry-Châtillon,[5][6] just outside Paris.[6][7][8] The Dieppe-based Alpine department specialised in the construction of race car chassis while the Viry-Châtillon-based Gordini focussed on engines. However, several conflicts emerged between them, and Renault took the decision to unify both departments into a single location in order to achieve a greater integration and harmony.[4]
The company concentrated principally on developing a car for Formula One, although it also participated in other series.
In 2002, the Viry-Châtillon factory became the engine department of the
Renault F1 team and Renault Sport was moved to Les Ulis and renamed Renault Sport Technologies (RST).[9]
On 3 February 2016, Renault announced a reorganisation of its racing and performance activities. The Formula One operation and RST's former motorsport branch were put under the new Renault Sport Racing division. RST's former roadcar branch at Les Ulis became the Renault Sport Cars division.[10]
In January 2021, the Alpine company announced it would absorb both Renault Sport Racing and Renault Sport Cars to form an Alpine business unit.
Megane Renault Sport Ultime (a variant of the fourth-generation Megane model) introduced in early 2023, was set to cease production in late 2023.[12]
Rallying
Gordini-tuned Renault cars won many rallies during the 1950s and 1960s, and Alpine, being a subsidiary of Renault, won the first
R17 Gordini until it left international rallying in late 1994[13]
(although it continued competing in national and promotional rally series).
From 1977 to 1986 and again between 1989 and 1997, Renault Sport was in charge of Renault's Formula One programme.[27]Renault Sport F1, created at the end of 2010 and active until 2015, was a subsequent incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula One and was headquartered in Viry-Châtillon, which functioned as a semi-independent operation.[28][29][30] In 2016, the Formula One operation became part of Renault Sport Racing.[10] In September 2020, the Renault company said it would repurpose the F1 team to promote Alpine.[31]
Formula Two
Alpine constructed various chassis and prepared engines for Formula Two (F2). In 1973, Renault-Gordini (later Renault Sport) introduced a two-litre V6 engine for F2, the CH, which was the basis of its future Le Mans and F1 engines.[32]Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux won the 1976 and 1977 European Formula Two Championships with Renault-powered cars.[33]
Results of Renault Sport as an engine supplier
1976
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Renault Sport Technologies announced its return to F3 as an engine supplier with Oreca again as engine tuner for the 2014 FIA European Formula Three Championship.[36] However, this was indefinitely halted because of the lack of power of the Oreca-tuned engine compared to rivals.[37]
Sportscars
Alain Menu driving for Renault in the 1998 British Touring Car Championship season
Capitalising on the growing reputation and success of the Super Touring regulations introduced in the early 1990s, Renault made the decision to enter the British Touring Car Championship in 1993 with reigning champion Tim Harvey and Alain Menu signed as their drivers.[39] Renault's first BTCC effort was based on the Renault 19 chassis, initially developed by test driver Jean Ragnotti. Success was almost immediate as Harvey and Menu scored a win each in 1993, before the 19 was replaced with the new Renault Laguna for 1994. The Laguna lent itself as a more competitive proposition than its predecessor and went on to be a highly successful car throughout its racing life, the highlight being in 1997 when Alain Menu took 12 victories on his way to the championship.[40]
In 1994, Renault discontinued the Alpine marque, badging since then its sport cars manufactured at the Dieppe factory as Renault Sport, beginning with the
Renault Sport is in charge of the conception and manufacturing of the Gordini-badged sport cars[48] and also of modifying cars and vans for special purposes (transporting people with reduced mobility, driving school cars, business fleets) through its division Renault Tech.[49][50]
Sites
Les Ulis (car development, management)
Viry-Châtillon (racing car development, marketing)
Activities
Manufacturer of limited edition sport and special purpose models
Competitor in motorsport events, for example:
Rallying
Organisation of single-model vehicle championships
Organiser or/and sponsor of the Formula Renault national and international championships
Many international subsidiaries of Renault have their own Renault Sport division, including Renault UK,[51]Renault Argentina,[52] Renault Spain and Renault Italy,[53] among others.
Renault in motorsport
Renault is also involved in other racing series but not as Renault Sport.
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Monte Carlo Rally: 
Jean Ragnotti (Renault 5 Turbo)
Larry Cols
Patrik Sandell
Fatih Kara
Kalle Pinomäki
Sébastien Buemi
Qing Hua Ma
Esteban Gutiérrez
André Lotterer
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