Renault R25
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 1969.[1]
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Renault | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Pat Symonds (Executive Director of Engineering) Bob Bell (Chassis Technical Director) James Allison (Deputy Technical Director) Tim Densham (Chief Designer) Dino Toso (Head of Aerodynamics) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | R24 | ||||||||
| Successor | R26 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre monocoque | ||||||||
| Engine | Renault RS25 3.0 L V10 72 degree Naturally Aspirated 900 hp @ 19,000 RPM | ||||||||
| Transmission | Renault 6-Speed sequential semi-automatic gearbox | ||||||||
| Fuel | Elf | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Mild Seven Renault F1 Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 5.  6.  | ||||||||
| Debut | 2005 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Teams' Championships | 1 (2005) | ||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 1 (2005) | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 1 (2005, Fernando Alonso) | ||||||||
During 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 (and also second-to-last) title 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).[2]
In Episode 8 of Series 10 of the BBC show Top Gear, presenter Richard Hammond drove the R25 around the Stowe Circuit at Silverstone, completing two laps.[3]
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.
Complete Formula One results
(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 | |
| Fernando Alonso | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Ret | DNS | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| Giancarlo Fisichella | 1 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 5 | 12 | 6 | Ret | DNS | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | Ret | 5 | 2 | 4 |
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Renault R25. |
- 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.
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