Renault India officials last week unveiled the Renault Formula car which will participate in the MRF challenge.
Renault's 35 year association with motorsports is well known and the French automaker has decided to extend its motorsport footprint to India as well. All the 20 MRF Challenge formula cars starting on the grid will be powered by the 2-litre Renault engine.
Apart from supplying the engines, Renault will also field two team cars which will be driven by young drivers Jon Lancaster and Alice Powell. The 2.0 litre engine 16 valve 4 cylinder engine which churns out 210 PS of peak power was designed and built by Renault Sport in France.
The MRF Challenge had its first of 10 races this season at Buddh International Circuit (BIC) on 26th. All the remaining races will be conducted at BIC and MMSC Chennai with the final race scheduled on the 10th February 2013.
With this association with MRF formula racing, Renault has taken the hard core single seater route to counteract the Toyota Etios TRD motor racing which is gaining popularity. The racing series is expected to be a starting point for young talented drivers who are aspiring for Formula 1.
On the sidelines of the formula car launch, the winners of the “Ticket to Formula 1” contest got a chance to experience firsthand the excitement of motor racing as the Red Bull Racing Driver, Mark Webber, took them for a ‘Hot Lap’ in the visually modified Renault Scala and Pulse. Both the cars were powered by the Renault 1.5-litre K9K diesel engine.
