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AU REVOIR SAYS RENAULT AND WTCE TO BTCC |
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After two manufacturers' championship wins, one drivers' title and seven years, Renault UK has decided to withdraw from the Auto Trader British Touring Car Championship at the end of the 1999 season. Since it entered the BTCC arena in 1993, no other manufacturer has enjoyed the same success rate of race wins and titles as Renault. Even in the company's first season, with the Renault 19, drivers Tim Harvey and Alain Menu took one win each, the pair scoring a magnificent one-two finish at the European Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park. We will be sorry to see them go, as will all their fans. Williams Touring Car Engineering (WTCE) follow them. Williams is closing down the Touring Car operation to concentrate on F1 - next year they have a potentially championship-winning BMW engine. |
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Renault UK Managing Director Benoit Marzloff praised all involved in making Renault's touring car dream come true and thanked the TOCA organisation which runs the BTCC. He commented: "TOCA has provided Renault with the best possible platform to market its image and that of Laguna. I know the TOCA series, so popular with competitors and race fans alike, will continue to go from strength to strength. I want to express a very special thank you to a number of organisations. First to Renault Sport for its invaluable support down the years and to Sodemo whose engines have helped us stay at the front of the grid. "To Frank Williams and his Williams Touring Car Engineering company whose technological expertise during its five-year involvement has resulted in so much success for Renault, and MCT GB Motorsport who ran our cars for the first two seasons and shared with us all the emotions of creating a race-winning touring car team. "And then, of course, there are the drivers: Alain Menu, who was involved right from the start until his departure in 1998, former BTCC champions Tim Harvey and Will Hoy, Jason Plato and Jean-Christophe Boullion, plus Tommy Rustad." |
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"We've been involved in the BTCC since 1993 and have achieved all the goals we set ourselves at the start of the project. Like any business plan our touring car programme has now reached the end of its life. "There has been speculation about a quick return to the BTCC with a new Laguna model. Let me stress now that this is not the case - our withdrawal is for the foreseeable future but if there is the possibility of a comeback in the years to come we will look favourably on it." |
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Frank Williams, whose name this decade has become synonymous with Renault at both BTCC and Formula One levels, reflected on the past five seasons. He commented: "Touring car racing was a logical extension of our partnership with Renault in Formula One and we were delighted to win the triple championship in our third year. The touring car paddock has seen great technological advancement since we first became involved and I hope we helped play a part in that. Renault's decision to withdraw will, I know, have been taken only after a lot of deep thought. Its cars will be greatly missed on the BTCC grid." TOCA Chief Executive Alan Gow said there would always be a place on the BTCC grid for Renault should there one day be a decision to return. He said: Obviously, I'm very sad to see Renault withdrawing at the end of the season, but I perfectly understand the reasons for doing so. "I know the BTCC served Renault with the perfect arena for the marketing of the Laguna and the championship will continue to provide this should it decide to re-enter in the future. "Professionally and personally Renault will be sadly missed but I rather like to think that this is a 'sabbatical' and that we will see the company back in the thick of the BTCC competition one day. Renault has been, and will remain, great supporters of the TOCA package and I am proud of our long-standing association." Andrew Luck, Renault UK's Motorsport Director, was highly supportive of the TOCA package. He commented: "Together TOCA and Renault share many great memories. We feel privileged to have been involved pretty much right from the start and to be one of only three manufacturers to have remained loyal to TOCA and the BTCC right up to the present day. "I wish to stress the withdrawal of the BTCC team does not affect in any way the inclusion in the TOCA package of Renault's new Formula Renault and Clio Cup championships which are firmly committed for at least the next three seasons." |
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