Renault R.S.18
The Renault R.S.18 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by the Renault Sport Formula One Team to compete during the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Nick Chester, Chris Cooney, Martin Tolliday, and Pete Machin with Bob Bell overseeing the design and production of the car as a chief technical officer and Rémi Taffin leading the powertrain design. The car was driven by Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr.[4] The car made its competitive debut at the 2018 Australian Grand Prix.
Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
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Constructor | Renault | ||||||||||
Designer(s) | Bob Bell (Chief Technical Officer) Nick Chester (Chassis Technical Director) Naoki Tokunaga (Chief Transformation Officer) Chris Cooney (Engineering Director) Martin Tolliday (Chief Designer) Simon Virrill (Project Leader) Pete Machin (Head of Aerodynamics) | ||||||||||
Predecessor | Renault R.S.17 | ||||||||||
Successor | Renault R.S.19 | ||||||||||
Technical specifications[1][2][3] | |||||||||||
Chassis | Moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque | ||||||||||
Suspension (front) | Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones operate an inboard rocker via a pushrod system | ||||||||||
Suspension (rear) | Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones with pull rod operated torsion bars | ||||||||||
Length | 5,480 mm (215.7 in) | ||||||||||
Width | 2,000 mm (78.7 in) | ||||||||||
Height | 950 mm (37.4 in) | ||||||||||
Axle track | Front: 1,600 mm (63.0 in) Rear: 1,550 mm (61.0 in) | ||||||||||
Engine | Mecachrome-built and assembled Renault R.E.18 1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 RPM in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout | ||||||||||
Electric motor | Renault kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems | ||||||||||
Transmission | Renault eight-speed semi-automatic sequential titanium gearbox + 1 reverse gear | ||||||||||
Battery | Infiniti lithium-ion | ||||||||||
Weight | 733 kg (1,616.0 lb) | ||||||||||
Fuel | BP Ultimate | ||||||||||
Lubricants | Castrol EDGE | ||||||||||
Brakes | Carbon discs and pads with Brembo calipers and AP Racing cylinders | ||||||||||
Tyres | Pirelli P Zero (dry) Pirelli Cinturato (intermediate and wet) OZ forged magnesium wheels: 13" | ||||||||||
Clutch | AP Racing electro-hydraulically operated, carbon multi-plate | ||||||||||
Competition history | |||||||||||
Notable entrants | Renault Sport F1 Team | ||||||||||
Notable drivers | 27. Nico Hülkenberg 55. Carlos Sainz Jr. | ||||||||||
Debut | 2018 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
Last event | 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ||||||||||
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Design and development
Following Renault's return to the sport as a constructor in 2016, the team underwent a recruitment drive and began investing in its Enstone facilities. With the development of the R.S.18, the Enstone factory was expanded to accommodate the team's operations.[5]
Competition history
Later use
A modified R.S.18 was used during testing of the 2022 tyre compounds after the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.[6]
Complete Formula One results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | Grands Prix | Points | WCC | ||||||||||||||||||||
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AUS | BHR | CHN | AZE | ESP | MON | CAN | FRA | AUT | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | SIN | RUS | JPN | USA | MEX | BRA | ABU | |||||||
2018 | Renault Sport Formula One Team | Renault R.E.18 | P | Hülkenberg | 7 | 6 | 6 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 7 | 9 | Ret | 6 | 5 | 12 | Ret | 13 | 10 | 12 | Ret | 6 | 6 | Ret | Ret | 122 | 4th |
Sainz | 10 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 12 | Ret | 12 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 10 | 7 | Ret | 12 | 6 | ||||||
References
- "New season for Renault Sport Formula One team with the Renault R.S.18". renaultsport.com. Renault Sport. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
- "Formula 1 - Press release - Renault Sport Formula One Team reveals 2018 challenger - renaultsport.com". renaultsport.com. Renault Sport. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
- Mitchell, Scott (12 November 2017). "Pirelli to introduce new softest-compound pink-walled F1 tyre in '18". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017.
- "2018 F1 Entry List". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 1 February 2018. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018.
- "Renault 'almost 10 years' behind on F1 return". Speedcafe. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
- Somerfield, Matthew (2021-12-15). "The technology on show in Abu Dhabi F1 testing ahead of new-look 2022". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2021-12-16.