Renaultsport gears up for 2007 trackday calendar

Summer is almost upon us and Renault’s latest three hot hatches, Clio Renaultsport 197 F1 Team R27 and Megane Renaultsport dCi 175 and Megane Renaultsport F1 Team R26 230, continue to take the motoring world by storm, so what better time for the company to announce its Renaultsport UK trackday calendar for 2007.

Designed by enthusiasts specifically for fellow driving enthusiasts, the trackdays represent motoring nirvana for Renaultsport owners and their guests to enjoy the sight, sound and smell of burbling exhausts and burning rubber in a friendly, informal and safety-conscious environment.

The UK still accounts for more sales of the French marque’s high-performance Renaultsport models than anywhere else in the world, with this year’s trackday calendar taking in four of the country’s best-known race circuits, including Brands Hatch and Oulton Park. Plus, there’s also the chance to join Renaultsport UK’s first trackday foray to foreign shores with a trip to the world-famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, or for the more time-pressed thrill-seeker, a tracknight at Bedford Autodrome.

For those Renaultsport customers seeking a day away from the drudgery of modern living, what better way to spend a few hours, than letting off steam with an adrenalin-fuelled trackday, whether they’re beginner or advanced level. Instructors are on hand at every trackday to provide a free tuition session for drivers, something novices and those more experienced always find invaluable.

Free from the shackles of the office, housework and other commitments, Renaultsport owners and their guests are free to put their own pride and joy cars through their paces on the track in open pit lane sessions, away from the confines of modern roads. One free passenger is also permitted per car so that they too can experience the thrills of trackday driving.

As part of the programme, drivers can also get behind the wheel of the latest high performance Renaultsport exotica for a few grin-inducing laps in the form of the Clio Renaultsport 197 and Megane Renaultsport 230 F1 Team R26. They also have the option to enjoy a “hot” lap in either car from the comfort of the passenger seat with a qualified MotorSport Vision instructor at the wheel.

The trackdays events are open to all Renault owners provided they drive one of the following: any Renaultsport version of Clio or Megane, Clio 2.0 16V or Williams, Megane Coupé 2.0 16V, Renault 19 16V and Renaultsport Spider.

Emphasising Renault’s performance know-how and inventive design at each event will also be two attention-grabbing, pristine two-seaters from Renault UK’s heritage collection: the Renaultsport Spider roadster and the mighty Clio Renaultsport V6 255.

Speaking about the popularity of the Renault trackdays in the UK, Jeremy Townsend, Manager, Communications, “Renaultsport trackdays are the ideal way of letting our customers share our passion for motorsport as well as giving them the opportunity to realise the full potential of their cars in a safe and laid-back atmosphere. Our trackday programme continues to grow year-on-year, to the extent that we’re even now welcoming Renaultsport customers over from France at some of this year’s events. With our performance division’s star still ascending, we’re looking forward to seeing these special events grow even more in the months and years ahead.”

Each trackday represents good value-for-money, with a saving of £79 on offer if customers book the three full trackdays at the same time, plus an additional saving of £20 on tuition.

Aside from being able to see what their hot hatches are made of on the track, owners will also be able to literally see it for themselves at an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Renaultsport factory in Dieppe, northern France on 28th June. Once there they will see everyday Clio and Megane models being transformed into the doyenne of the track fraternity, as well as firing any questions they like at members of the Renaultsport engineering team as they walk around the production line.

More information on everything Renaultsport, including UK trackdays and online booking, is available at renaultsport.co.uk . Further information on MotorSport Vision’s RaceMaster trackdays, which use Clio Renaultsport 197 at Oulton Park and Megane Renaultsport 230 F1 Team R26 at Brands Hatch, is available on their website, motorsportvision.co.uk.