Yellow Teapots
Posted on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Renault Celebrates 30th F1 Anniversary at Silverstone
Renault will celebrate their thirty-year Formula One anniversary this weekend at the same circuit where it all began – Silverstone. In retrospect, a small and relatively inexperienced team arrived at Silverstone in July 1977 to unleash an innovative turbo-engine car dubbed as the ‘yellow teapot’ due to its distinctive color. Since then, the French team has been astounding the paddock.
Though the RS01 would eventually retire with engine problems on Lap 16, it was a promising start for the team. Three decades later, Renault returns to Silverstone with an enviable record of eight constructors’ titles, 113 wins and 154 pole positions.
“We arrived at Silverstone with something that was completely different to everything else: radial Michelin tyres which was the first time in the world; a turbocharged engine for the first time in Formula One; and a young driver who had been European Formula Two champion called Jean-Pierre Jabouille! So everything was new. I was very realistic arriving at Silverstone. I knew that we would eventually be successful, but first of all I wanted to finish races, said Jean-Pierre Jabouille, a Renault driver who graced the momentous event.
Jabouille added, “The car was very difficult to drive for two reasons: the first, the response time of the turbo, and secondly, the Michelin tyres weren’t at all progressive. They had good grip but when they let go, it was very sudden. The turbo lag, which gave you huge power very suddenly, plus Michelin’s tyres made it very difficult to drive. But, I remember that Ken Tyrrell laughed at us a lot. It was he who called us the tea pot but we made our debut, we weren’t a disgrace, we were in the middle of the pack and at the end of a number laps, what we expected happened: the engine broke with a nice cloud of smoke which made everyone laugh.”
To celebrate the team’s anniversary, Renault has designed an exceptional livery for the R27. The livery was inspired by RS01’s distinctive original design. The car will be on display throughout the British Grand Prix weekend.
General Manager Gerard Larrousse has this to say: “When we started the Renault Formula One campaign, we didn’t have too many hopes of finishing races, because the engine was just too fragile, but I was one hundred percent sure that we could solve the various different problems in some weeks or months. What I did hope was that we would have an advantage on the atmospheric engines at three races which were held at altitude: Kyalami, Zeltweg and Dijon, so that was our goal. Of course, within two years we achieved it with our win at Dijon.”
Jean Sage, Renault team manager, added: “I started working for Renault on January 1, 1977, six months before the first race. It was very short notice to race the car. Silverstone was almost a success for us. First, we expected to race the car before, and we had so many problems, so our aim at Silverstone was to last as long as possible in the race. We were happy with what we achieved in, because we knew that the car was not so reliable and where we qualified and the laps we did was already a success for us. It was not a disappointment.”
Renault is currently on the fourth position in the constructors’ standing. While Ferrari is eyeing on McLaren Mercedes team, Renault is aiming at BMW Sauber. The French team intends to challenge Sauber’s skill and readiness bolstered by race parts that are more powerful than the BMW X5 parts. Silverstone track is waiting…
About the Author
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
Classic Dodge The Teapots of Doom! by clockwork
|
|
KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 2-Quart Tea Kettle, Stainless Steel $40.99 KitchenAid’s new Gourmet Essentials teakettle holds 2-quarts, giving you plenty of hot water for your soups or beverages. This new line combines beautiful porcelain enamel-coated exteriors with the brilliance of stainless steel found on the lids and handles. In a delightful Brushed Stainless color, the teakettle has sturdy handles covered in matching, heat-resistant silicone that offer cooks a fir… |
|
|
Signature Housewares Sorrento Set of 3 Canisters Looking to add to your Sorrento accessory collection? This Sorrento Set of three canisters in gold is sure to please. The canisters are 80-ounces; 48-ounces and 36-ounces respectively each with a silicon seal. Made of stoneware, these sets are durable and made for everyday use: perfect for flour, sugar, pastas and beans. These items are all dishwasher safe, for easy cleaning and years of use! A st… |
|
|
Farberware 50123 Classic Tiburon 2-1/2-Quart Whistling Stainless-Steel Teakettle $14.07 FW Tiburon: 2 QT S/S Teakettle… |
|
|
Chinese Teapot Lamp $49.00 LMP-JCO-X3409 Chinese lamp perfect for any home! Features: -Teapot theme.-Oriental porcelain lamp.-Carved wooden base.-Steel frame.-Hand applied textured glaze.-Three – way switch for variations.-Hand crafted. Includes: -Lamp shade included. Dimensions: -Overall dimensions: 8” H…. |
|
|
Glass Teapot and Tea Cup – 24H x 16W – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
|
|
Glass Teapot and Tea Cup – 24W x 16H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
|
|
Antique Royal Danube 1886 Yellow Teapot Notecard Set $18.00 Fabulous Vintage Royal Danube 1886 Teapot Ceramic Collectibles… |
|
|
Antique Royal Danube 1886 Yellow Teapot Greeting Card Set $18.00 Fabulous Vintage Royal Danube Teapot Tea pot 1886 Collectibles… |
|
|
Daffodils/House Warming Card 5 x 7 inch premium quality folded paper greeting card. Congratulations cards for the whole family are available at Greeting Card Universe. Send a paper card to your friends and family this year. Look no further than Greeting Card Universe for your Congratulations card needs. This paper card includes the following themes: Daffodils, flowers, and yellow. cards from Greeting Card Universe can make th… |
|
|
Eden Grove Yellow ‘O’ Pot $4.23 Eden Grove O Pot is both functional and decorative – for use with both Eden Grove Estate Whole Leaf Teas.The unique shape of this exclusive tea pot makes it ideal for brewing both Large Whole Leaf Estate Teas and our Biodegradable Pyramid Tea Bags. The design allows hot water to convect clockwise allowing the tea leaves to open – brewing a perfect pot of tea. Available in these beautiful colours t… |
