The presentation and above all, the formalization of the upcoming arrival of the impressive Renault 5 Turbo 3E raised many questions. One of them of course concerns her involvement in the World Rally Championship, like her ancestor.
Until a few weeks ago, we thought that only Alpine could have the privilege of entering motor racing and Dacia, to a certain extent with the Dakar. The Renault brand had also had to give way to Alpine in Formula 1, while the Renault Sport brand had ceased after the last examples of the Mégane 4 RS.
However, the lines seem to have moved within the Renault group. The opportunity to revive the myth of the R5 Turbo and Turbo 2 gives rise to real hopes. Moreover, we could even say how Renault could miss this opportunity?
The Renault 5 had its hour of glory in rallying
The one that Luca de Meo does not hesitate to nickname “the beast” in the documentary “Anatomy of a comeback” would have its place in the WRC, as was the case with the R5 Turbo driven in particular by Jean Ragnotti in the 80s.
New regulations for the WRC world championship
The WRC regulations from 2027 have also evolved to take into account the transition to all-electric. But that's not all, because like in Formula 1, the budget has been capped. The cost of the car must therefore be limited to €345,000 while the engine can now be thermal, hybrid or fully electric. However, a device will make it possible to balance performance, particularly by limiting the torque of electric cars.
Another notable novelty, but which does not necessarily go in the right direction, while in the past, manufacturers had to produce a certain number of examples in series, this will no longer be the case. Just like in the Dakar, manufacturers will be able to put the bodywork of their choice, on a chassis that has absolutely nothing to do with it. Damage.
Surprisingly, Renault waited until the new regulations were announced to unveil its R5 Turbo 3E. Chance or coincidence?
Anyway, in the documentary, Luca de Meo announces the color: “we want to create emotion” before adding that the R5 Turbo 3E which is “part of the future”. The future therefore promises to be encouraging despite the abandonment of the Renault engine in F1.
Alpine in Formula 1, Renault in Rally?
But then, what about Alpine whose genes come more from Rallying than from Formula 1? We could think of a gender reversal: Alpine would be dedicated to the most prestigious motor sports such as F1 and Endurance, while Renault would develop in rallying.
Considering the price and the prestige of the two brands, this choice would not be surprising, far from it, and above all, exciting.
Related News :