The RS 01 goes down in history as the first Formula One vehicle that Renault entered in competition. The car made its troubled debut in July 1977 on the Silverstone track (UK). Behind the wheel: Jean-Pierre Jabouille.
British Grand Prix, Silverstone, in 1977. For its debut in Formula 1 racing, Renault dared to be different by entering a car with a turbocharged 1500 engine. All the other teams were still using 3-litre engines – the other option allowed by the regulations. The 3-litre units were heavier but also more reliable and easy to control. The technicians of Renault Sport took two years to overcome the difficulties raised by turbo technology.
Their relentless efforts were rewarded at the French Grand Prix in Dijon in 1979: Jean-Pierre Jabouille, in pole position, overtook Gilles Villeneuve and his Ferrari to win the race! René Arnoux finished 3rd, also with an RS 10. This was Renault’s first F1 win and the first for a single-seater car with a turbocharged engine. The other teams quickly followed suit and all the cars in the paddock gradually adopted turbo technology . Renault had made the right choice. Between 1979 and 1983, it notched up 15 wins and firmly established the turbocharger in Formula 1 racing.