Category | Formula One | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constructor | Renault | ||||||||
Designer(s) | Pat Symonds (Executive Engineer) Bob Bell (Technical Director) James Allison (Deputy Technical Director) Tim Densham (Chief Designer) Martin Tolliday (Project Leader) Tad Czapski (Technology Director) Robin Tuluie (Head of R&D) Dino Toso (Head of Aerodynamics) Rob White (Engine Technical Director) | ||||||||
Predecessor | R26 | ||||||||
Successor | R28 | ||||||||
Technical specifications | |||||||||
Chassis | Carbon-fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque | ||||||||
Suspension (front) | Carbon-fibre double wishbone, with pushrod and rocker operated inboard torsion bar/damper units. | ||||||||
Suspension (rear) | Carbon-fibre double wishbone with gearbox-mounted vertical torsion bars and horizontal dampers. | ||||||||
Length | 4,800 mm (189 in) | ||||||||
Width | 1,800 mm (71 in) | ||||||||
Height | 950 mm (37 in) | ||||||||
Axle track | 1,450 mm (57 in) (front) 1,400 mm (55 in) (rear) | ||||||||
Wheelbase | 3,100 mm (122 in) | ||||||||
Engine | Mecachrome-built Renault RS27 2.4 L (146 cu in) V8 90° naturally aspirated, mid engined, longitudinally-mounted | ||||||||
Transmission | Renault seven-speed + reverse instantaneous shift | ||||||||
Power | >750 hp @ 19,000 rpm | ||||||||
Weight | 605 kg (1,334 lb) with driver, camera and ballast | ||||||||
Fuel | Elf Atmo 98.5 RON | ||||||||
Lubricants | Elf Evolution 900 SXR | ||||||||
Tyres | Bridgestone | ||||||||
Competition history | |||||||||
Notable entrants | ING Renault F1 Team | ||||||||
Notable drivers | 3. Giancarlo Fisichella 4. Heikki Kovalainen | ||||||||
Debut | 2007 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
Last event | 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
Drivers' Championships | 0 |
The Renault R27 is a Formula One racing car designed and produced by Renault for the 2007 Formula One 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 Rob White leading the engine design. The car was driven by Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen.
It made its first public outing on 16 January 2007, at Jerez circuit after completing a short first test at Silverstone the week before.
The R27 is outwardly similar to the 2006 R26, with several aerodynamic modifications. [1] The front wing design, for example, is very similar to the R26's. One unusual new feature is the placing of the rear view mirrors on the strakes on outer edge of the sidepod, following a concept introduced by Ferrari on their 2006 car (the 248 F1).
Despite the apparent similarities to its predecessor, the R27 did not emulate its results. The car proved to be relatively uncompetitive and the team slumped to fourth, generally being slower than Ferrari, McLaren, and BMW. The R27 failed to score any wins for the first time since 2002 and took only one podium, at the rain-soaked Japanese Grand Prix in the hands of rookie Heikki Kovalainen. In comparison, the R26 won on its debut and won the 2006 Constructors' and Drivers' championships. The team put the car's uncompetitive form down to an over-reliance on the team's wind tunnel which had shown incorrect readings for how the car would perform, aerodynamically, on the track. [2] By the end of the year, the car was being out-paced by Renault-powered Red Bull, Williams, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Toyota and Honda.[ citation needed ] Many put this down to the team abandoning its development and focusing on the 2008 car.
The new seven-speed Instantaneous GearChange (ICG) gearbox is Renault's first attempt at a seamless shift gearbox. [1] It proved to be very reliable with Kovalainen making only one retirement all season, which was due to an accident in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The R27's 2007 livery reflected the team's then-new title sponsor, the ING Group, and consisted of an assortment of colours including orange, white, yellow and dark blue. [3] The colour scheme was not positively received by all Formula One fans, however.[ citation needed ]
An interim livery - dark blue and yellow - was used during early test sessions and at the car's official launch in Amsterdam on 24 January. [4]
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)
Year | Team | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | Renault | Renault V8 | B | AUS | MAL | BHR | ESP | MON | CAN | USA | FRA | GBR | EUR | HUN | TUR | ITA | BEL | JPN | CHN | BRA | 51 | 3rd | |
Giancarlo Fisichella | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 4 | DSQ | 9 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 12 | Ret | 5 | 11 | Ret | ||||||
Heikki Kovalainen | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 13† | 4 | 5 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 9 | Ret |
Renault, a French automobile manufacturer, has been associated with Formula One as both team owner and engine manufacturer for various periods since 1977. In 1977, the company entered Formula One as a constructor, introducing the turbo engine to Formula One with its EF1 engine. In 1983, Renault began supplying engines to other teams. Although the Renault team had won races, it withdrew at the end of 1985. Renault engines continued to be raced until 1986.
Giancarlo Fisichella, also known as Fisico, Giano or Fisi, is an Italian professional racing driver, also captain of the official Nazionale Piloti association football team. He has driven in Formula One for Minardi, Jordan, Benetton, Sauber, Renault, Force India and Ferrari. Since then he has driven for AF Corse in their Ferrari 458 GTE at various sportscar events, becoming twice a Le Mans 24 Hour class winner, and a GT class winner of the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. He was also Ferrari's F1 reserve driver for 2010.
Heikki Johannes Kovalainen is a Finnish racing driver competing in the Japan Rally Championship for Rally Team AICELLO. He raced in Formula One between 2007 and 2013 for the Renault, McLaren, Team Lotus, Caterham and Lotus F1 teams, scoring a single victory at the 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix. After leaving Formula One, he raced in the Japanese Super GT series between 2015 and 2021, where he won the championship in 2016.
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