Car Name: | Renault RE20 Renault RE20B |
Category: | Formula One |
Constructor: | Renault |
Team: | Equipe Renault Elf |
Designer: | François Castaing (technical director) Michel Têtu (chief designer) Marcel Hubert (head of aerodynamics) Bernard Dudot (chief engine designer) |
Predecessor: | RS10 |
Successor: | RE30 |
Drivers: | 15. Jean-Pierre Jabouille 15. Alain Prost 16. René Arnoux |
Technical Ref: | [1] |
Chassis: | Aluminium monocoque |
Wheelbase: | 2860NaN |
Track: | Front: 1720NaN Rear: 1630NaN |
Engine Name: | Renault Gordini EF1, |
Configuration: | V6, |
Capacity: | 14921NaN1, |
Turbo/Na: | turbo, |
Engine Position: | mid-engine, longitudinally mounted |
Gearbox Name: | Hewland FGA 400 |
Gears: | 5-speed |
Type: | manual |
Fuel: | Elf |
Tyres: | Michelin |
Weight: | 615NaN |
Debut: | 1980 Argentine Grand Prix |
First Win: | 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix |
Last Win: | 1980 Austrian Grand Prix |
Last Event: | 1981 Belgian Grand Prix |
Races: | 19 |
Cons Champ: | 0 |
Drivers Champ: | 0 |
Podiums: | 5 |
Wins: | 3 |
Poles: | 5 |
Fastest Laps: | 4 |
The Renault RE20 was a Formula One car raced by the Renault team in the season. The car was designed by François Castaing and Michel Têtu and designed using Ground effect aerodynamics. The car was powered by the 1.5L turbocharged Renault Gordini EF1 engine, which by 1981 was producing a reported 5200NaN0. This was roughly 50 more than the 3.0L Cosworth DFV V8 still in wide use at the time in Formula One, though Renault's power did lag behind the new 5600NaN0 turbocharged engine being used by Ferrari. In keeping with everything French on the car, the tyres used by Renault were Michelin.
The driving lineup for the all French team was made up at the time entirely of French drivers. Driving the RE20 in 1980 were Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux, while in 1981 Arnoux continued with the team but Jabouille was replaced by a young Alain Prost who had made his Formula One debut in 1980 for McLaren.
The Renault RE20 achieved three Grand Prix wins during the 1980 season. Arnoux won both the Brazilian and South African races while Jabouille was the winner of the Austrian Grand Prix.
A modified version of the car, the RE20B, raced in first five races of the season. The RE20B was replaced by the Renault RE30.
(key) (note: results shown in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Pts. | WCC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Equipe Renault Elf | Renault Gordini EF1 V6 tc | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | BEL | MON | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | USA | 38 | 4th | ||||
Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Ret | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 1 | Ret | Ret | Ret | ||||||||
René Arnoux | Ret | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | Ret | 5 | NC | Ret | 9 | 2 | 10 | Ret | 7 | |||||||
Equipe Renault Elf | Renault Gordini EF1 V6 tc | USW | BRA | ARG | SMR | BEL | MON | ESP | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | CPL | 54* | 3rd | |||
Alain Prost | Ret | Ret | 3 | Ret | Ret | ||||||||||||||||
René Arnoux | 8 | Ret | 5 | 8 | DNQ |