Renault (1993 - 1999)  

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
R 19 16v saloon Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna Laguna
T. Harvey T. Harvey A. Menu A. Menu A. Menu A. Menu J. Plato
A. Menu A. Menu W. Hoy W. Hoy J. Plato J. Plato J.C. Boullion

Alain Menu - 1993 Renault 19 16v

 Renault entered the 1993 season of the BTCC having recruited GB Motorsport as their chosen partner and 1992 champion Tim Harvey as their number one driver.  The choice of the Renault 19 16v raised a few eyebrows and wasn't really fancied by many to achieve any decent results.  The Renault, initially, was a disaster.  It was hopelessly off the pace and didn't stand a chance of victory, unless it rained.   This was proved however at only the second meeting of the season, at Donington Park where it threw it down in buckets, with Harvey taking 1st, and Menu 2nd.  Renault were one of only two teams using Michelins that year which were far superior in the wet than anything else in those conditions.  As if to prove the point, two rounds later, on the same circuit in dry conditions, the Renaults struggled to outpace many of the championship's privateers.  Indeed spirits were so low that the team decided to miss the Knockhill round altogether.  Effectively the team came up with an evolution version of the 19 and at Oulton Park there was suddenly a breakthrough.  Both cars qualified far higher up the grid than usual and Menu finished fourth.  At another rain soaked meeting at Donington Park the car repeated it's tradition of winning in the rain when Menu won the second race of the double header round.   Whilst '93 was seen as a disappointing year for Renault much was anticipated for 1994 and the entrance of the long awaited Laguna.
The difference was chalk and cheese.  The Laguna was superior all round and from the outset GB Motorsport and Renault felt they had a winning combination of cars and drivers.  It wasn't all plain sailing however.  The Alfa Romeos and Ford Mondeos dominated the opening rounds of 1994 but the Laguna showed much promise.  When the Alfas were chucked out of round seven at Oulton Park for running what the governing body alleged were illegal aerodynamic aids, the way was open for Renault to claim their first victory of the season having started the race from pole position.  Menu repeated the feat at Knockhill to take his second win, and Harvey took his Laguna to top place on the podium at Silverstone for round 18.  By now the Lagunas were also running with enhanced aerodynamics, just like the rear wings on the Alfa 155s, the FIA having declared the wings legal.  Come the final rounds of the season, at Donington Park, Menu was in with a chance of taking second place overall in the championship, the title having already been won a fortnight earlier by Alfa's Tarquini.  It was between Menu and Ford's Paul Radisich.  The first of the days races was won by the Ford driver bringing him level on points with Menu.  Radisich was prevented from entering the second race by mechanical difficulties that hit his Mondeo before it even left the pit lane, and Menu finished the race in second place to take runner-up spot in the championship.

Alain Menu - 1994 Renault Laguna

Alain Menu - 1995 Renault Laguna

 Amid much speculation and rumour, Williams secured the deal to run the Lagunas for Renault in 1995.  The new squad under the guidance of Ian Harrison, who had just finished a two year spell with Williams Grand Prix Engineering, soon settled into their stride.  Will Hoy, 1991 champion, had also been drafted in to replace Tim Harvey.  1995 was also the year that the FIA ruled that every manufacturer could run with enhanced aerodynamic packages, following it's dealings with Alfa in '94.  This was manna for Williams who had gained masses of experience with their F1 team.  The aerodynamic evaluation process did, however, hinder the delivery of the new cars.  The start-up to the first race schedule was pretty tight and the teams cars were only just ready before the season opened.  Menu, in fact, only took delivery of his chassis two days before the first meeting at Donington Park.  After some early reliability problems the Lagunas hit a superb late season run in and won seven of the last nine races to haul up to first in the manufacturers' championship.  Menu secured runner-up in the drivers championship for the second year running with Hoy taking fourth.
After the success of its first year in the BTCC Williams Renault Dealer Racing decided to operate much as it had in '95, with one major exception.  The 1995 Laguna had been a re-worked version of the Renault Sports-designed, GB Motorsports-run and developed Laguna of 1994.  For 1996 a full Williams design was adopted with the car built upon everything that had made it a success previously, notably it's handling.  It did inherit something of weak spot, however.  The Sodemo-built engines were very prone to problems and the team experienced over 40 failures during the year.  This not only caused both drivers problems on race days but also prevented much needed development and testing throughout the season.  Towards the end of the series Renault brought forward the 'new' car programme, testing 1997 development parts before the season closed.    Menu was, in the end, fortunate to take second place yet again in the drivers' table, but Renault slipped to fourth in the manufacturers championship.     

Alain Menu - 1996 Renault Laguna

Alain Menu - 1997 Renault Laguna

 There were a few changes within the Williams Renault squad for the start of the 1997 season.  Team Director Ian Harrison had left at the end of '96 to join forces with Derek Warwick at Triple Eight Racing, and was replaced by Belgian Didier Debae.  Will Hoy had also moved on, to Ford, and was replaced by 1996 Renault Spider Championship winner Jason Plato.  The 1997 version of the Laguna which was a modified version of the '96 car appeared earlier than most of it's rivals enabling the team to carry out a longer pre season testing phase.  Sodemo had done much improvement work with its engines and the reliability proved to be excellent.  The season started well, and just got better and better for Renault. Plato actually out qualified Menu in the first two rounds taking pole position for both races at Thruxton to kick off the '97 season.  Both cars ran well all year and the season finished with Renault winning both the drivers and manufacturers titles, Menu as champion and Plato in 3rd position. Together the pair had won 14 of the 24 races in the season, an amazing achievement. 
After the team's fantastic performance in '97, Williams/Renault had it all to do for 1998 if they were going to repeat the feat.  However the '98 Laguna was not the dominant force its predecessor had been.  After another evolutionary re-design the Laguna had simply dropped off the pace.  It was by no means a bad season, the team had to put up with a merely good season rather than a brilliant one.  The Nescafe Blend 37 sponsored cars remained in contention for the teams' crown right up to the end, but despite fielding a third car for Tommy Rustad, were pipped by Nissan at the Silverstone finale. Unfortunately for Renault they failed to retain any of their titles from 1997 and by the seasons close Menu and Plato finished 4th and 5th respectively, in the drivers' table.  At the end of 1998, lead driver Alain Menu had left for Ford

Jason Plato - 1998 Renault Laguna

Jean-Christophe Boullion - 1999 Renault Laguna

 With Menu gone French driver Jean-Christophe Boullion (JCB) was recruited moving from F1 testing duties at BAR and Williams.  It proved to be a difficult last season for the 1997 champions.  The Laguna was still good enough to qualify twice in the top-three at its final meeting at Silverstone, although a variety of problems during the year had usually seen it in the middle of the grid on race days.  The lack of straight line speed and a series of engine problems on Plato's car only added to Renaults woes.  Belgian boss, Didier Debae, kept the team in good spirits during the second half of the season after Renault had announced its decision to pull out of the series and Williams its decision to close its touring car enterprise.  With just one win all year Plato eventually finished 5th in the drivers' championship with JCB only managing 10th.  After a successful seven year period in the BTCC Renault finally pulled the plug having achieved 38 race wins, 2 manufacturers titles, and a drivers' championship crown.
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