Far from resting on its laurels, Renault Sport Racing confirms its total involvement in its school of champions for the 2018 season.
Since 1971, Formula Renault has detected and trained motorsport hopefuls to such an extent that it has seen 60% of the current F1 and the FIA WEC fields, but also half of the FIA WTCC crop pass through its ranks.
Always looking toward the future, Renault Sport Racing and the teams involved have studied the effects of the measures adopted in 2017 in order to propose next year a category more than ever before recognized as a leading reference in feeder series’ around the world.
Longer races
In 2018, the Formula Renault Eurocup will still provide a considerable amount of track time with two 50-minute collective tests, two 15-minute qualifying sessions and two races per weekend.
The major change concerns the length of the races. After offering these past years 25-minute plus one lap races, now they will be 30-minutes plus one lap, which is a 20% increase.
A prestigious calendar
Like in 2017, next season the Formula Renault Eurocup will have a ten meeting calendar at Europe’s most famous venues hosting F1 and street circuits like Monaco where the drivers will compete once again in the curtain raiser for the most prestigious Grand Prix of the season.
Each meeting will consist of two races to offer a 20-round calendar. Each race will have its own qualifying session to let the best talents show their skills alongside quality promoters while building their first links to recognized and professional international championships.
A proven race car
Known for its many training attributes, the latest generation Formula Renault has seen all the Eurocup champions join programs run by F1 teams. Once again, Renault Sport Racing will focus on stability in order for costs to remain reasonable and controlled so that all talents can demonstrate their skills to the fullest in a proven race car.
Cyril Abiteboul, Renault Sport Racing, Managing Director: “The Formula Renault Eurocup is an excellent learning tool for young drivers. Thanks to the synergies that we have put in place within Renault Sport Racing, this category is in our scheme to detect the stars of tomorrow together with the Renault Sport Academy. Once again, the drivers will have the chance to fight to take advantage of the opportunities and the means made available by Renault Sport Formula One Team and the Academy through a targeted program and specific operations like the F1 Paddock Days and internships in immersion at Enstone."
Jean-Pascal Dauce, Renault Sport Racing, Director of Customer Competition Programme: “This year, the Formula Renault Eurocup has reaffirmed its stature as a world reference in feeder series’. We are having an absolutely fantastic battle for the title between the most talented young hopefuls of their generation. All of this has led us to reflect on the future to offer increasingly more relevant tools and award schemes for their future in motorsport. We will reinforce our strong points adopted this season while adding new measures as well, including the most important which is a 20% increase in the length of the races.”