The Renault R23 was the car with which the Renault team competed in the 2003 Formula One World Championship. It was driven by Jarno Trulli, in his second season with the team, and by Fernando Alonso, who replaced Jenson Button after the Briton left for British American Racing.
Renault R23 at a glance
| Team | Renault, 2003 Formula One World Championship |
|---|---|
| Drivers | Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso |
| Chassis design | Mike Gascoyne, Bob Bell, Tim Densham, John Iley |
| Engineering director | Pat Symonds |
| Engine design | Jean-Jacques His |
| Engine | RS23 V10 with a 111-degree vee angle |
| Update | R23B, from the British Grand Prix |
| Launched | Lucerne, Switzerland |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Renault R23.
History of the Renault R23
Name and chassis
The car was simply named R23 because the team no longer had a connection with Benetton. The chassis was designed by Mike Gascoyne, Bob Bell, Tim Densham and John Iley, with Pat Symonds overseeing design and production as executive director of engineering and Jean-Jacques His leading engine design. A B-specification car, the R23B, made its debut at the British Grand Prix and was used for the rest of the season.
The 111-degree engine
Renault was innovative in this period, producing non-standard designs such as the 111-degree ten-cylinder RS23 engine, shaped that way to lower the engine’s centre of gravity and improve handling. It eventually proved too unreliable and too heavy, so Renault returned to a 72-degree vee angle with the following year’s R24.
Launch
The Renault R23 was launched at an official ceremony in Lucerne, Switzerland, before the start of the season.
Design and features
- 111-degree V10: an unusual engine layout aimed at a lower centre of gravity.
- R23B update: introduced at the British Grand Prix in the middle of the season.
- Young line-up: Jarno Trulli alongside Fernando Alonso in his first Renault season.
- Enstone design team: the chassis drawn by Gascoyne, Bell, Densham and Iley.
Renault R23 versions
- R23 (2003): the original car.
- R23B (2003): the B-specification update used from Britain onwards.
The R23 was followed by the Renault R24 and then the title-winning Renault R25; Renault’s wider Formula One story is on the Renault in Formula One page, and more cars are in the Renault collection.
Video: F1 Montreal 2003: Fernando Alonso in the Renault R23
Video by ju4N pLo5 on YouTube.
Sources
- Renault R23, English Wikipedia: drivers, chassis team, engine, R23B
