Renault R26

The Renault R26 is a Formule 1 of the stable Renault F1 TEAM, committed during the season 2006, with the hands of Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella.

History

Haloed Pilot titles and Manufacturers 2005, but disturbed by at the very least early advertisement of the departure of the World champion in title Fernando Alonso for the rival McLaren in 2007, the Renault stable begins the year 2006 with only one objective: to preserve the two titles. The tests of the intersaison legitimated these claims but let think that it would not be easy thing. Indeed, the changes of payment redistributed the charts and the established order in 2005 does not appear perennial: Ferrari (Ferrari 248 F1) seems of return, McLaren (McLaren MP4-21) - in spite of preoccupations with a reliability and Honda (Honda RA106) confirms anxious. In short the season is announced disputed but R26 and its pilots appear enough solid to face there.

Arrived at Bahrain, the large circus of F1 sees certain memories remembering to him: both Ferrari of Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa are placed in first and second positions on the starting grid. Alonso is fourth with three tenth, confirming the potential of its mounting, but its Italian fellow-member is only ninth with more than two seconds. One will learn later that this against-performance must with a problem of driving peripheral, Giancarlo Fisichella his race truncated, after twenty-three turns with fifty horses in less exempted by his driving block. On his side, the Spanish world champion holds his row by delivering a royal duel to the poleman Schumacher, which it overcomes, preceding it of less than two seconds on the finishing line. The season thus starts rather well, R26 was born well and once some regulated problems of reliability, it should be frightening. What will confirm the following test, on the Malayan peninsula, since Giancarlo Fisichella signs the Pole Position (the third of its career) in front of Button, when Alonso, following a problem of quantity of gasoline embarked in its single-seater during the meeting of qualification is only seventh at two seconds of its team-member. One everywhere! After an admirably controlled race, Fisichella is essential in front of Alonso - author of the Best Turn in race, R26 signing the second doubled of the history of Renault, the first since 1982.

With orée of the third race of the year, the stable with the rhombus has thirteen points in advance on its nearer competitor, Ferrari, and its leader of seven points on Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button. After station-wagon a two week old, the " large cirque" of F1 finds itself with Melbourne, and it is the Jenson Button British on her Honda RA106 which signs the pole-position in front of both R26 de Fisichella and Alonso. Unfortunately for the Romain, a mechanical problem the constrained one to spring stands. At the end of a chaotic race (ten abandonments, four security cars…) Fernando Alonso is essential magistralement in front of its " better ennemi" : Kimi Räikkönen and the surprise Ralf Schumacher on the Toyota TF106. Giancarlo Fisichella finishes to him fifth at the end of a dull race, profiting from the abandonment to the finish of Jenson Button, in the last straight line!

Three weeks later, for the Grand Prix of Marine Saint, Giancarlo Fisichella has an evolved/moved engine, " Spec B" , having to allow the stable to continue on its impetus on the grounds of Ferrari. Unfortunately, the tests will not be with the height of the ambitions of the team since if Alonso is classified fifth behind both Ferrari 248 F1 and two Honda RA106 (a priori charged out of gasoline), Fisichella is only eleventh, on this circuit where the goings beyond are almost impossible, like Fernando Alonso one year earlier… D'ailleurs the race proved it is summarized with a remake reversed of the back issue, Schumacher and Alonso crushing competition, the " Baron Rouge" taking a lead in its grounds after a duel of more than twenty turns with Alonso. Fisichella is classified eighth after a dull race…

And the hecatomb continues for the Italian with the Nurburgring: obstructed at the time of its turn of qualification, at least the clamp it, by Jacques Villeneuve, it is only thirteenth before the retrogradation of the Williams, when its team-member signs to it tenth pole-position of his career in front of both Ferrari. At the end of a race signing the return of Ferrari in the two championships, Alonso could not resist the brilliance of more incisive Schumacher than ever and finishes second, in front of Massa, when Fisichella is classified sixth. One week later, the " F1 Circus" pose its luggage on a particular circuit: that of Barcelona, transported by l'" Alonsomania". With residence, the Spaniard has in heart to repurchase his two consecutive defeats vis-a-vis Schumacher and especially wants to gain his first victory over his grounds. In a boosted environment, it takes down the eleventh pole-position of its career, in front of its team-member and both Ferrari. And the young Spaniard dominated the race, in front of platforms roofs, relegating Michael Schumacher to twenty seconds, owes other R26 de Fisichella, and second Ferrari of Massed. Räikkönen, fifth, are at one minute of Alonso, which must wonder whether McLaren were really the best choice for 2007…

This interrogation will undoubtedly have been attenuated by the good performances of the single-seaters gray in Principality, as of the first tests. However it is still Ferrari which is affirmed like the challenger number one of Renault, with a regrettable incident in qualifications, blocking Schumacher (voluntarily?) Alonso in its ultimate turn whereas it was going to take the pole. Initially second, it will inherit the first place on the grid after the cancellation of all times of the German pilot. Fisichella, initially fifth, will know a similar fate to have obstructed David Coulthard: it will leave tenth. However, McLaren are in second line, menaçantes. And the race will prove it, Alonso resistant during 40 turns to Räikkönen unchained… until the breakage of its engine! Fisichella finishes to him sixth, after having levelled the spectators by two colossal operations of going beyond, whereas he saw his team-member returning on him to take a turn to him!

In England, Alonso signs its fourth pole consecutive position, and its third victory of row, allocating a " hat trick" with the best turn in race… Trinomial Alonso-Renault-Michelin seems too strong to be worried this season. Fisichella offers the fourth place of this Grand Prix, on the heels of Räikkönen. And this domination continued in Canada, where Alonso and Fisichella trustent the first line of the starting grid, before a rider alone of the Spaniard, hardly worried at the beginning of race by McLaren of found Räikkönen… but always poissard. Fisichella takes him to it fourth place after a " drive-through" for early retirement.

With Indianapolis, the fitted pilots of Michelin underwent the law of their adversaries equipped with envelopes Bridgestone. Renault, dominating everywhere else had to be inclined vis-a-vis the superiority of Ferrari, which signs one doubled, Schumacher in front of Massa, followed by Fisichella, Trulli and Alonso, very in difficulty on this circuit and which sees to stop there its series of fifteen consecutive podiums. In France, on the grounds of Renault, the team carried out by Flavio Briatore hopes to rectify the bar and to take again her insolente domination. Alas under Nevers-native heat, they are still Ferrari which dominates, as well in qualifications as in race, even if Alonso manages thanks to a daring change of strategy to exceed Massa and to be classified second, behind its Schumacher rival. In Germany, prohibited the use of the " TRUSTED it; Farmhouse dumper" , system invented by Renault, playing the part of a third shock absorber. For this reason, the French single-seaters are completely out of the blow on the grounds of Michael Schumacher, who crushes the race, eleven point total of Alonso, when, thanks to doubled offered by Massa, Ferrari totals ten points of Renault.

R26-03 frame

The frame with which Fernando Alonso ran during the season 2006 was the same one, it was number 3 and it is exposed to the museum Renault de Viry.

Complete technical specifications

  • Frame

    • Name: R26
    • Design: Renault
    • Material: Honeycomb with carbon fiber
    • Length: 4800 mm
    • Width: 1800 mm
    • Height: 950 mm
    • Footing: 3100 mm
    • Way before: concept of the skittle out of V
    • Way back:
    • Weight (water, oil and pilot on board): 605 kg
    • Wheels OZ Racing 13" (before and back)
    • Brakes: Brake carbon - Carbon (disc and plate) by Hitco, (clamps) AP Pneumatic Racing
    • : Michelin
  • Gear box
    • Design: Renault
    • Positioning: longitudinal
    • Order: semi-automatic sequential with electronic control
    • Many reports/ratios: 7 + step back
    • Differential: autobloquant
  • Driving
    • Standard: RS26
    • Design: Renault
    • Material: aluminum
    • Many cylinders: 8
    • Angles of the cylinders: 90° out of V
    • Many valves: 32
    • Distribution: by cascade of pinions and pneumatic recall of the valves
    • Rolled: 2400 cm ³
    • Power: 780 ch (Spec E)
    • Boring: 98 mm
    • maximum Mode: 20.000 tr/min (Spec E)
    • Weight: 95 kg
    • electronic Injection Magneti Marelli
    • Electronic ignition static Magneti Marelli
    • Fuel: Elf
    • Lubricant: Elf
    • Battery: Renault F1 TEAM
    • Candles: Champion

Prize list

(before the Grand Prix of Hungary)

Results

Pilots

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