New three-year deal for Renault’s motorsport championship
Renault UK have confirmed the renewal of its three-year rolling agreement to remain on the TOCA/British Touring Car Championship support race package, ensuring the successful future of two of the most renowned national motor sport championships.
The Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship and the ELF Renault Clio Cup with Michelin series will continue to remain as prominent support races to the BTCC until at least the end of 2013.
Renault’s motor sport championships have proudly been a part of the BTCC package since 1993 with 2013 marking their 20th year running alongside the popular touring car series. During this time both its single-seater and saloon car championships have become widely renowned, producing an array of sporting stars including Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkönen and Jason Plato.
The announcement comes as both series resume racing after the summer interval with the next two rounds (11 and 12) taking place at Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit on 7th/8th August. The remainder of the season sees the championships compete at a further three BTCC race meetings and one as part of World Series by Renault on September 18th/19th at the new Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.
Formula Renault UK is regarded by many as the country’s leading single-seater championship, launching the car racing careers of Formula One stars including Pedro de La Rosa, Heikki Kovalainen and Formula One World Champions Räikkönen and Hamilton. This year also saw the introduction of a new, more powerful Formula Renault 2.0 race car built in-house at the Renaultsport factory in Dieppe, France.
Meanwhile, the Clio Cup is the UK’s premier one-make saloon car championship, offering thrilling racing in identical cars based on the road-going Clio Renaultsport 200 which was recently voted Best Hot Hatch in its price category by What Car? magazine. In recent years an array of drivers – notably Mat Jackson, Andrew Jordan and champions Tom Onslow-Cole and Jonathan Adam – have learnt their craft in the Clio Cup before going on to prove themselves in the BTCC. The same continued this year when 2009 Clio Cup drivers Phil Glew, Alex MacDowall and Daniel Lloyd all followed suit by competing in the BTCC.
Commenting on the announcement, Tim Jackson Director of Press and Public Relations at Renault UK, said: “Renault has a long and very successful motorsport heritage and our announcement today will make certain this continues to be the case in the years to come. To have been part of the BTCC support race package for so long demonstrates not only Renault’s commitment to its national motor sport championships but also its ability to ensure these series remain attractive to teams and drivers after almost two decades. We’re very proud to safeguard this relationship and to continue producing great single-seater and touring car drivers.”
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow added: “Our manufacturer-supported championships, together with the BTCC, help provide motorsport fans with a top-class entertainment package which is unrivalled by any other motor sport experience in the country and which enjoys comprehensive television coverage on the ITV Network.
“Renault’s support and commitment in being an intrinsic part of the BTCC support package has been exemplary, so I’m genuinely delighted to have Renault continue our partnership and look forward to many more years of thrilling racing.”
