Renault R27
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, 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.
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Renault | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Pat Symonds (Executive Director of Engineering) Bob Bell (Chassis Technical Director) Tim Densham (Chief Designer) Dino Toso (Head of Aerodynamics) | ||||||||
| 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 | Renault RS27 2.4 L (146 cu in) V8 90° naturally aspirated, mid engined, longitudinally-mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Renault seven-speed + reverse instantaneous shift | ||||||||
| 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.  4.  | ||||||||
| Debut | 2007 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
It made its first public outing on 16 January 2007 at Jerez circuit after completing a short first test at Silverstone the week before.
Aerodynamics
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 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. Many put this down to the team abandoning its development and focusing on the 2008 car.
Gearbox
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.
Livery
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.
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]
Gallery
Renault RS27 engine.
Pre-race preparations for the 2007 British Grand Prix.
Fisichella driving the R27 at the British Grand Prix.- Heikki Kovalainen driving the R27 at the British Grand Prix.
Complete Formula One results
(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 |
Notes and references
- "Question Marque", Renault R27 launch article, Autosport magazine, 25 January 2007
- Renault 'complacent' about wind tunnel, itv-f1.com, ITV Sport, 20 July 2007
- "Renault reveals new look for new era", itv.com article Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 24 January 2007
- http://www.formula1.com/news/5505.html
- "TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION RENAULT R27/RENAULT RS27 V8". All Formula One Info. Archived from the original on 12 July 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
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