The Renault R25 was the Formula One car entered by Renault in the 2005 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 Bernard Dudot leading the engine design. The car won both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in 2005, the first titles for any car racing with a French licence since the Matra MS80's triumph in the 1969 season.[3] It also secured the first championship titles for a Formula One car racing with a Renault engine since the Williams FW19 in 1997 and also first Enstone-based Formula One car to won the world constructors' championship since the Benetton B195 in 1995.
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| 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) Bernard Dudot (Engine Technical Director) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | R24 | ||||||||
| Successor | R26 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre monocoque | ||||||||
| Length | 4,600 mm (181 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 RS25 3.0 L (183 cu in) V10 72° naturally aspirated, mid engined, longitudinally-mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Renault 6-speed sequential semi-automatic gearbox | ||||||||
| Power | 800–900 hp (597–671 kW) @ 19,000 RPM[1][2] | ||||||||
| Weight | 605 kg (1,334 lb) with driver, camera and ballast | ||||||||
| Fuel | Elf | ||||||||
| Lubricants | Elf | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Mild Seven Renault F1 Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 5.  Fernando Alonso6.  Giancarlo Fisichella | ||||||||
| Debut | 2005 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| First win | 2005 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last win | 2005 Chinese Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last event | 2005 Chinese Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Teams' Championships | 1 (2005) | ||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 1 (2005) | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 1 (2005, Fernando Alonso) | ||||||||
History
editDuring the season, the car turned out to be slower than the McLaren MP4-20 at numerous points, with the win tally being 8–10. Reliability and consistency prevailed in the end, with Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella taking the car to the last win and titles for a V10 powered Formula One car, marking the end of an era.
This car also claimed Michelin's first of only two titles since its return in Formula One, winning the title again with Renault (the R26 2006-spec car) in the 2006 season, the last for the French tyre maker. The R25 was the first Constructors' Championship winning car since 1991 not to have been designed by either Adrian Newey or Rory Byrne.
Over 19 races, it scored 191 points, 8 wins, 15 podiums and was fully out of the points just twice in 18 starts (not counting the United States Grand Prix where both Renault drivers, in common with all their fellow Michelin tyre runners, withdrew prior to starting).[4]
The R25 was also the last Renault Formula One car to use a 6-speed gearbox before the switch to a mandatory 7-speed gearbox in the following season.
Sponsorship and livery
editRenault used 'Mild Seven' logos, except at the Canadian, United States, French, British, Turkish, Italian, and Belgian Grands Prix. Out of these races, the team replacing it with flowers, tribals and flame graphics as well as "Team Spirit".
Later uses
editIn Episode 8 of Series 10 of the BBC show Top Gear, in 2007, presenter Richard Hammond drove the R25 around the Stowe Circuit at Silverstone, completing two laps.[5]
On 11 December 2020 Alonso drove the car for the first time in 15 years, hours before the start of the first practice session shown on Sky Sports,[6] and after the qualifying session for the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The car used Pirelli demo slick tyres, rather than the original Michelin grooved tyres.
Complete Formula One results
edit(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest laps)
| Year | Team | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Renault | Renault V10 | M | AUS | MAL | BHR | SMR | ESP | MON | EUR | CAN | USA | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | TUR | ITA | BEL | BRA | JPN | CHN | 191 | 1st | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Ret | DNS | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||||||
| 1 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 5 | 12 | 6 | Ret | DNS | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | Ret | 5 | 2 | 4 |
References
edit- ^ "Knutson: Noise maker". 17 November 2005.
- ^ "Here's Proof That Fernando Alonso Can Still Thrash His First Title-Winning Renault F1 Car". 11 December 2020.
- ^ 2005 Renault R25. Ultimate Car Page. Accessed March 23, 2012.
- ^ Renault R25. F1 Technical. Accessed March 23, 2012.
- ^ "Top Gear" Episode 10.8 (2007). IMDB.com. Accessed March 23, 2012.
- ^ Fernando Alonso returns to his 2005 V10 Renault at Abu Dhabi.