Championship

For an average season budget of between £100,000 and £130,000 you get:

• Full support from the longest-serving manufacturer in British motorsport, with more than 30 years experience running championships

• 21 exclusive pre-season and pre-event official tests

• Eight double-headers supporting Britain’s number one race package - the British Touring Car Championship’s visiting the UK’s top circuits including Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Silverstone and Thruxton plus a new Renault Festival meeting at Knockhill in Scotland

• One double-header supporting the World Series by Renault at Donington Park which in 2005 attracted 50,000 spectators

• The chance to win the champion’s prize of test in a Formula Renault 3.5, as seen in the World Series by Renault, £10,000 and the winner’s trophy

• Live coverage on digital satellite channel Motors TV and recorded coverage on ITV1’s Motorsport UK, which regularly attracts audiences approaching 500,000 - three times that of British Formula 3 and significantly more than A1GP

• Professional, full-time media service coverage with news releases plus race reports sent to specialist and local media titles

• Free images from the official championship photographer

• Heavily featured on the official Renault motorsport website www.renaultsport.co.uk which averages 30,000 visitors per month

• Full backing of Renault Sport UK’s dedicated and professional motorsport technical team throughout the year

• Full tyre support from Michelin at every championship race meeting

• Complimentary Renault Sport paddock jacket

• Discounts on new Renault road cars

The Championship is organised by Renault Sport UK and registered by the British Automobile Racing Club. Championship partners include Michelin, ELF, Atol and NGK Spark Plugs.

FROM FORMULA RENAULT UK TO FORMULA ONE

No one-make championship can match the record of Formula Renault UK in producing current Formula One drivers. Of the 22 stars lining-up on the grid in 2007, three took their early steps on the road to the pinnacle of their sport in Formula Renault UK, in additional to former McLaren driver Pedro de la Rosa.

Recent honours
2006 - Lewis Hamilton, GP2 Series Champion
2006 - Paul di Resta, F3 Euroseries Champion
2006 - Mike Conway, British F3 Champion
2006 - Oliver Jarvis, British F3 Vice-Champion
2005 - Lewis Hamilton, F3 Euroseries Champion
2004 - Jamie Green, F3 Euroseries Champion

McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award Winners
2005 - Oliver Jarvis
2004 - Paul di Resta
2003 - Alex Lloyd
2002 - Jamie Green
1996 - Darren Turner

Lewis Hamilton is the latest driver to join Formula One, being named as team-mate to Fernando Alonso at McLaren. In winning the 2003 title, he notched 10 wins, two second places and a third in the 15 rounds he raced with Manor Motorsport. He added F3 Euroseries and GP2 titles in successive seasons before his promotion to F1. Pedro de la Rosa was the 1992 Champion. He raced in F1 for Arrows and Jaguar before joining McLaren as a test driver and racer.

Kimi Raikonnen is the only driver to progress directly to Formula One - a feat that may never be accomplished again. He won seven races on his way to the 2000 title and was snapped up by Sauber F1. He challenged for the title with McLaren before replacing Michael Schumacher at Ferrari.

Heikki Kovalainen finished fourth in 2001 with two wins and three podiums. He joined the Renault Driver Development Programme in 2002 and takes over a race seat from Fernando Alonso.

PREVIOUS FORMULA RENAULT UK CHAMPIONS

1992 - Champion Pedro de la Rosa went on to race for Arrows, Jaguar and McLaren in F1
1995 - Champion Guy Smith continues a successful career in sports cars, last year racing in the American Le Mans Series. Guy won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 2003
1997 - Champion Marc Hynes beat Jenson Button to the British F3 title in 1999
1998 - Star Cup champion Robbie Kerr was British F3 Champion in 2002 and now races for Great Britain in A1GP
1999 - Champion Antonio Pizzonia won the British F3 title the following year and was in F1 with Jaguar Racing by 2003. In 2004 he became a Williams test driver and raced in 2005
2000 - Champion Kimi Raikkonen was almost immediately signed by Sauber F1 before switching to McLaren to become a world championship contender. Joins Ferrari in 2007
2001 - Champion Carl Breeze has since raced in British Touring Cars and F3 Katherine Legge tested with Minardi F1 and won on her first outing in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship in 2005. She now races in the Champ Car World Series Fourth-placed Heikki Kovalainen joined the Renault Driver Development Programme in 2002 and after a spell as official third driver, takes over from Fernando Alonso in a race seat with Renault F1 Team
2002 - Champion Danny Watts went on to win races in British F3 Vice-Champion Jamie Green won the 2002 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award. He was the 2004 F3 Euroseries champion and is now a Mercedes DTM driver
2003 - Champion Lewis Hamilton won the 2005 F3 Euroseries and is the 2006 GP2 Series champion. In 2007, he races in Formula One with McLaren, finishing on the podium in his first race Vice-Champion Alex Lloyd won the 2003 McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award. He now races in the IRL Third-placed James Rossiter is an official Formula One test driver for Honda
2004 - Champion Mike Conway is the 2006 British F3 champion and won the prestigious Macau F3 Grand Prix. He now races in GP2 and is a Honda F1 test driver Third-placed Paul di Resta won the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award. He is the 2006 F3 Euroseries champion
2005 - Champion Oliver Jarvis won the McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver Award. He finished second in the 2006 British F3 championship and won a race for Great Britain in A1GP Vice-Champion Sean McIntosh races for Canada in A1GP
2006 - Champion Sebastian Hohenthal tested a World Series by Renault car and races in British F3 Vice-Champion Patrick Hogan tested a World Series by Renault car

2007 Formula Renault UK Race Calendar

Date Venue
31st March/1st April
Brands Hatch Indy

21st/22nd April
Rockingham Motor Speedway

5th/6th May
Thruxton

2nd/3rd June
Croft

23rd/24th June
Oulton Park Island

14th/15th July
Donington Park National

28th/29th July
Snetterton

18th/19th August
Brands Hatch Indy

8th/9th September
World Series by Renault – Donington Park International

13th/14th October
Thruxton

Technical Support

Renault Sport UK’s technical excellence has enabled Formula Renault UK to produce 15 years of top quality competition, whilst at the same time maintaining a level playing field and an exemplary safety record.

Competitors benefit from a comprehensive, professional service which includes specialist knowledge of the cars, replacement parts, extensive data acquisition, accurate timing as well as on site provision of control tyres and fuel.

The service, which is provided at the track as well as in the workshop, is unparalleled in other championships. It enables teams to get the most from their cars by providing immediate advice and information to solve problems quickly and affordably.

Specialist Knowledge Of The Cars

Allen Collen is Renault Sport UK’s Technical Manager. He started working at Renault in 1988 and in 1991 qualified as a Renault Technical Expert. Prior to taking up the position in 2000, he worked on championship-winning cars within the Renault series. As Technical Manager for Formula Renault he is responsible for troubleshooting and fixing cars, making sure every team gets the most out of their equipment and policing the championship to ensure nobody is abusing the regulations.

Official Parts Supplier

R.Sport is the UK’s official parts supplier for Renault Sport. Started in 2000 by John Millett, he and Denise Trigg have developed a unique expertise in Formula Renault race cars and work closely with Allen Collen. R.Sport’s parts truck carries 20,000 different lines and attends all official test days and race weekends operating extended opening hours. R.Sport is also responsible for processing new car orders.

Data Logging

Dataspares, run by Andrew Smith, attends all events including test days to provide data logging system support. The statistics are an invaluable learning tool to drivers and teams who can compare details including straight-line speed, G-force measurements, breaking points and pressure. Dataspares also advises on electrical issues with cars.

Control Tyres And Fuel

Michelin UK has a fitting service at all official test days and race meetings and also provides advice regarding the control tyres permitted within the championship.

ELF control fuel is supplied on site by Petrochem Carless.

Media Service

Extensive press lists are compiled for the local press of teams and drivers as well as specialist media and contacts within the motorsport industry. At every race meeting general releases are sent to the latter two conveying the weekend’s action as well as being uploaded onto the official website www.renaultsport.co.uk. In addition, tailored stories are sent to the local media of drivers and teams who have performed well. Renault Sport UK’s Media Officer Simon Murphy also develops and promotes feature ideas with drivers and teams. In print, the championship.

Photography

Jakob Ebrey Photography provides an unbeatable service with copyright-free images available immediately after each race weekend at www.jakobebrey.com/renault

TELEVISION COVERAGE ON ITV SPORT

Each Formula Renault UK race held on Sunday is shown as highlights in Motorsport UK on ITV1, which goes out on Sunday night and peaked at 900,000 viewers in June 2006. Formula Renault UK featured in nine episodes in 2006 representing an audience approaching six million viewers.

A rise in audience figures over recent seasons prompted TV bosses to extend the slot from halfan-hour to 45 minutes - representing superb value for sponsors.

In 2006, races held on Sunday received an average of 13 minutes of highlights. Additionally, the bulk of the Sunday action at each BTCC race meeting is to be broadcast live on dedicated sports satellite channel Setanta, when the majority of point-scoring races are held. Figures from media agency Carat showed Formula Renault UK’s terrestrial television coverage in 2006 was worth £33,000 in equivalent advertising spend.

Website

The championship website www.renaultsport.co.uk has an average of 30,000 visitors each month. All race reports are posted on the site alongside photo galleries, championship points, driver biographies, video footage and audio interviews. In addition, news items relating to the championship will appear throughout the year. The site distributes a monthly newsletter

Formula Renault UK Live Audience

TELEVISION COVERAGE ON ITV SPORT

Each Formula Renault UK race held on Sunday is shown as highlights in Motorsport UK on ITV1, which goes out on Sunday night and peaked at 900,000 viewers in June 2006. Formula Renault UK featured in nine episodes in 2006 representing an audience approaching six million viewers.

A rise in audience figures over recent seasons prompted TV bosses to extend the slot from halfan-hour to 45 minutes - representing superb value for sponsors.

In 2006, races held on Sunday received an average of 13 minutes of highlights. Additionally, the bulk of the Sunday action at each BTCC race meeting is to be broadcast live on dedicated sports satellite channel Setanta, when the majority of point-scoring races are held. Figures from media agency Carat showed Formula Renault UK’s terrestrial television coverage in 2006 was worth £33,000 in equivalent advertising spend.

2006 SEASON - MOTORSPORT UK Transmissions Featuring Formula Renault UK

Please note, the above percentages refer to viewers watching all channels, not just ITV1. For example, on May 30th, of all
men watching television at this time, 12% were watching ITV1.

Renault UK Race Centre

The Renault Race Centre is the exclusive paddock club that attends every round of the Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship. It offers a focal point for the Renault Sport UK paddock, with guests invited to enjoy our catering and get all the latest championship news and results.

Each registered Formula Renault UK driver is allocated two meal vouchers to exchange for breakfasts and lunches each day of a race meeting. Each team is allocated four vouchers per registered car.

A limited number of additional vouchers can be purchased from Elliott McDougall at a cost of £10.00 (ex VAT) per voucher, up to a maximum of four per driver. These must be purchased by the Tuesday preceding a race meeting. All guests are required to possess a valid TOCA pass and a meal voucher to enter the Race Centre at meal times. The Race Centre is used for driver sign-on and pre-race briefings. Results sheets from qualifying and races are displayed here. The centre also acts as the base for the Renault organising team.