Renault and Red Bull Racing kick off the 2007 season

Red Bull Racing today presented its latest F1 challenger at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. At the heart of the new machine, Renault’s RS27 F1 engine. With a new car, a refreshed driver line-up and most importantly a new Renault engine, Red Bull Racing launched its 2007 campaign today at its first test session of the year in Barcelona. Renault F1 Team’s Deputy Managing Director (Engine), Rob White, was on hand to represent the French manufacturer.

The new engine supply agreement marks a fresh chapter in Renault’s long tradition of Formula 1 engine supply. With 80 Grand Prix wins and six constructors’ titles to its name as an engine supplier in the 1980s and 1990s, Renault was pleased to reach agreement with Red Bull Racing, a young, dynamic and promising team. For Renault, the opportunity brings with it a greater presence in F1 – and the opportunity to demonstrate the technological expertise of its engineers at Viry-Châtillon.

“The agreement has two immediate benefits: firstly, it strengthens Renault’s presence in the sport, and secondly it partly compensates the reduced development activity that we will see under the homologation rules,” commented Rob White.

The new relationship with Red Bull Racing will be open and honest, in line with Renault’s traditions of equitable supply, and will allow the French manufacturer to accumulate maximum mileage with the new engine ahead of its race debut on 18 March in Melbourne. Identical specifications of engine will be supplied to the ING Renault F1 Team and Red Bull Racing, setting the engineers at Viry-Châtillon a demanding challenge.

“Supplying twice the number of engines presents our partners and suppliers with additional challenges, which they have responded to with their usual professionalism and expertise. Our priority now is to kick off the new relationship smoothly – and to maximise the advantages it brings until the start of the season”, concluded Rob White.

The team of engineers and technicians that has been assigned to Red Bull Racing has already begun integrating itself into the team’s operations, and building the human relationships that will be the key to success.

A new adventure has begun for the team at Viry-Châtillon, and it’s now full steam ahead – with the next test session planned for Valencia, from 29 January to 1 February.