When Formula One began in 1950, most of the participants built their own engines, but 20 years later, apart from Ferrari, almost all were using the Ford Cosworth DFV. Then in 1976, a group of enthusiasts in the newly formed Renault Sport persuaded président directeur général Bernard Hanon to allow them to build a Renault F1 turbocharged engine. The Renault men were impressed by the way Porsche had used turbocharging to win not only the Can-Am, but the World Sportscar Championship.
In the current three-litre Formula One, FIA rules permitted forced induction for engines up to 1.5 litres and Renault thought, rightly as it turned out, it had a chance. Development took several seasons, but by 1979 when the works Renault won the French Grand Prix, turbocharging was looking more…
