Renault R29

The Renault R29 is a Formula One racing car designed by the Renault F1 Team, with which they contested the 2009 Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Bob Bell, James Allison, Tim Densham and Dirk de Beer with Pat Symonds overseeing the design and production of the car as Executive Director of Engineering and Rob White leading the engine design. The car was driven by Fernando Alonso, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Romain Grosjean.

Renault R29

Fernando Alonso driving the R29 at the Spanish Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Renault
Designer(s)	Pat Symonds (Executive Engineer) Bob Bell (Technical Director) James Allison (Deputy Technical Director) Tim Densham (Chief Designer) Martin Tolliday (Project Leader) Tad Czapski (Technology Director) Robin Tuluie (Head of R&D) Dirk de Beer (Head of Aerodynamics) Rob White (Engine Technical Director)
Predecessor	Renault R28
Successor	Renault R30
Technical specifications[1][2]
Chassis	Moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque, with engine incorporated as a fully stressed member.
Suspension (front)	Carbon fibre double wishbone, operating inboard torsion bar and damper units via a pushrod system.
Suspension (rear)	As front.
Length	4,800 mm (190 in)
Width	1,800 mm (71 in)
Height	950 mm (37 in)
Axle track	Front: 1,450 mm (57 in) Rear: 1,400 mm (55 in)
Engine	Renault RS27 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90° V8 with KERS, limited to 18,000 RPM, naturally aspirated, mid-mounted.
Transmission	Seven-speed semi-automatic carbon-titanium gearbox with reverse gear. "Quickshift" system.
Power	>750 hp @ 18,000 rpm
Fuel	Total
Tyres	Bridgestone Potenza
Competition history
Notable entrants	ING Renault F1 Team (Rounds 1-13) Renault F1 Team (Rounds 14-17)
Notable drivers	7. Fernando Alonso 8. Nelson Piquet Jr. 8. Romain Grosjean
Debut	2009 Australian Grand Prix
Last event	2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 17 0 1 1 2

Launch

The R29 was launched on 19 January 2009 at the Algarve circuit in Portugal.^[3][4]

Testing

Initial testing was conducted at the Portimao circuit along with rivals Williams, McLaren, Toyota and Toro Rosso from 19 January 2009 to 22 January 2009. Nelson Piquet Jr. was scheduled to drive for the first two days, followed by Fernando Alonso on the final two.^[5]

Season review

Nelson Piquet Jr. driving the R29 at the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix.

Coming off a resurgent second half of the previous year, the team expected to be fighting for both the drivers and constructors titles. Instead, the car proved to be disappointing. Fernando Alonso scored all of the team's 26 points. In the hands of either of Alonso's team mates, the car was often towards the back of the field with Nelson Piquet Jr. and Romain Grosjean often failing to reach Q2.

Alonso took the team's only podium finish of the season in Singapore

Unlike many other 2009 cars that began the year uncompetitively, such as the McLaren MP4-24, the R29 showed no sign of improvement throughout the season, and arguably became less competitive over the course of the year, despite Alonso's third place in Singapore Grand Prix, which was Renault's only podium finish of the season.

Sponsorship

Grosjean driving the R29 with a revised livery after the departure of ING as shown in Singapore

ING Group initially remained the team's primary sponsor, carrying over from 2008. However, in the wake of the "Crashgate", ING terminated their contract with immediate effect - the company had been due to end their sponsorship of the team after the season.^[6] Their logo on the car was simply replaced by the word Renault from the Singapore Grand Prix onwards. Despite this, the logo was still visible on the driver overalls and personnel uniform during the Singapore race, and from the next race in Japan, the team introduced a new uniform for the last three races of the season that removed both the logo and the orange accents from the design.

French oil company Elf Aquitaine was replaced as a team partner by Elf's parent company, Total, adding red accents to the car's livery^[7] There is still an Elf logo on the engine cover.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
2009	ING Renault F1 Team	Renault RS27 V8	B		AUS	MAL	CHN	BHR	ESP	MON	TUR	GBR	GER	HUN	EUR	BEL	ITA	SIN	JPN	BRA	ABU	26	8th
				Fernando Alonso	5	11	9	8	5	7	10	14	7	Ret	6	Ret	5	3	10	Ret	14
				Nelson Piquet Jr.	Ret	15	16	10	12	Ret	16	12	13	12
				Romain Grosjean											15	Ret	15	Ret	16	13	18