The Renault Clio Cup Series is a one-make racing series created and managed by Alpine Racing (until 2020 known as

Renault Sport Renault Sport () or Renaultsport, was the motorsport, performance and special vehicles division for Renault-badged cars. Renault Sport was officially established in 1976 as a merger between the Alpine and Gordini competition departments. It ...

). The championship was born after merge the 4 active

Renault Clio The Renault Clio () is a supermini car ( B-segment), produced by French automobile manufacturer Renault. It was launched in 1990, and entered its fifth generation in 2019. The Clio has had substantial critical and commercial success, being con ...

national cups at that moment plus the Clio Cup Europe.

National cups

Up to 22 different renault cups have come into existence at some point: Belgium, Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom for example.

French Cup

The French Clio Cup has been held since 2004. The French Cup started in 1966 and used in succession Renault 8 Gordini (1966–1970), Renault 12 Gordini (1971–1974),

Renault 5 The Renault 5 is a four-passenger, three or five-door, front-engine, front-wheel drive hatchback supermini manufactured and marketed by the French automaker Renault over two generations: 1972–1985 (also called R5) and 1984–1996 (also called S ...

LS kitée (1975–1976), Renault 5 Alpine (1977–1981), Renault 5 Alpine Turbo (1982–1984), Renault 5 GT Turbo (1985–1990),

16S (1991–1996) and

Renault Mégane The Renault Mégane () is a small family car produced by the French car manufacturer Renault for model year 1996, and was the successor to the Renault 19. The Mégane has been offered in three- and five-door hatchback, saloon, coupé, conver ...

Coupé 16V (1997–2000).Renault French Cup Palmarès
''renault-sport.com'' The French Cup wasn't held between 2001 and 2003.

Belgian Cup

This series started in 2001 as the Renault Sport Clio Cup Elf, but in 2005 the championship was cancelled due to the lack of participants. It returned in 2008 as the Renault Clio Cup Belux 2008 with 6 meetings. The Renault Cup started in 1987 with the Renault 5 GT Turbo Cup organised jointly with the Netherlands. The Benelux championship switch into Belgian Cup with

16S between 1991 and 1996. Then it was

Coupé 16V (1997–2000) and finally the actual Clio cup (2001–2004, and since 2008).

United Kingdom Cup

The series' first winner of the inaugural race for Renault 5 TLs held in

Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently hos ...

was Maggie Loynd in 1974. The series, now known as the Courier Connections Renault UK Clio Cup, are now held as a support race to the

British Touring Car Championship The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed a ...

. The series previously supported the British leg of the

World Series by Renault The Renault Sport Series (formerly known as World Series by Renault) is a motor racing series. The series latterly consisted of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, and used to contain the Renault Sport Trophy and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Th ...

event. The series saw subsequently these cars:

TL (1974–1977), Renault 5 TS (1977–1985), Renault 5 GT Turbo (1985–1990),

16V Mark I (1991–1995),

Renault Sport Spider The Renault Sport Spider is a roadster produced by the French automaker Renault Sport (a subsidiary of Renault) between 1996 and 1999. Project The idea for the Renault Spider was formulated in the early 1990s: in the midst of a revival after a d ...

(1996–1999), Clio Renaultsport 172 (2000–2001), Clio Renaultsport 182 (2002–2006), Clio Renaultsport 197 (2007–2009), and Clio Renaultsport 200 (2010–2019). The series' past champion winners includes Andy Priaulx,

Jason Plato Timothy Jason Plato (born 14 October 1967) is a British racing driver who last competed in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for BTC Racing. He has twice been BTCC Champion, in 2001 for Vauxhall and 2010 for Silverline Chevrolet. He ...

and Tom Onslow-Cole. Other than that, past drivers of the series that were notable outside of racing were

Andrew Ridgeley Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duo Wham!. Early life Ridgeley was born in Windlesham, Surrey, England, to pare ...

of the pop group

Wham! Wham! (briefly known in the US as Wham! U.K.) were an English pop duo formed in Bushey in 1981. The duo consisted of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They became one of the most commercially successful pop acts of the 1980s, selling mor ...

in 1985 and it introduced actor

Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and '' Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–20 ...

to motorsport, which he raced seldom between 1984 and 1990. One of his races was documented for his one-off show, ''Driven Man''. The car has since re-emerged for a reunion race in 2004, which he aimed to compete in, but had to be substituted by

Perry McCarthy Perry McCarthy (born 3 March 1961) is a British racing driver, who drove for the Andrea Moda team in Formula One in , though never making it into a race, before moving into sportscars, including driving in the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times b ...

, due to illness. Atkinson bought the car following the race and was auctioned off in a

Bonhams Bonhams is a privately owned international auction house and one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. It was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. This brought to ...

auction in 2005.

Spanish Cup

The ''Copa Nacional Renault'' is the longest running racing championship on speed circuits in Spain. The championship was released in 1969 taking advantage of the beginnings of the Jarama Circuit. It was organized for much of its history by FASA-Renault and Renault Sport Spain, while in its last decade it remained active thanks to Vline, Codony Sport and Driveland Events. Its last edition with its own national regulations was in 2020, denominating itself in its last 20 years of existence as Renault Sport Clio Cup Spain.

Other championships

* Renault Sport Clio International Cup * Clio Cup China * Renault Super Clio Cup Brazil * Renault Sport Clio Cup Belgium * Renault DTC Light Cup Denmark (since 2004 as Renault Clio Cup Denmark, since 2010 as Renault DTC Light Cup) * LO Renault New Clio Cup Suisse * Clio Cup Sweden * Clio Cup Italia * Dunlop Sportmaxx / ID&T Clio cup Netherlands * Renault Sport Clio Cup Slovenia * Michelin Clio Cup Series with Protyre * Renault Clio Cup Junior Championship

Other one-make racing with Renault cars

Renault Clio V6 The Renault Clio V6 Renault Sport is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout sport compact based on the Renault Clio launched in 2001. Designed by French automaker Renault the Phase 1 models were built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) in Udde ...

Cup *

Dacia Logan Cup The Dacia Logan Cup is a One-make racing lowcost series created and managed by Renault Sport. It uses Dacia Logan cars and takes place in Germany, France, Romania and Russia. The purpose of the series is to make motorsports accessible with an a ...

Alpine Elf Europa Cup The Alpine Elf Europa Cup is a one-make sports car racing series founded in 2018 featuring the Alpine A110 Cup. Format The series consists of events in various European countries which feature two races over a weekend. Each weekend the series h ...

* IMSA Renault Cup (1982–1985 with Renault LeCar and then Renault Encore) * SCCA Sports Renault Championship (1984–1989 with Renault/Jeep Sport USA open cockpit, purpose-built cars) * Dacia Sandero RS Cup Portugal

The current car

Since 2020, the championship uses Renault Clio R.S. V with an Renault HR13 engine. * Engine:

Renault Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...

HR13, 4 cylinder, 1330 cm3 Turbo. * Transmission: Sequentially controlled, dog-clutch box with 6 gears and controlled ZF differential. * Suspension: Front: McPherson; Rear: H axis. * Brakes: Discs, Front: ventilated ø280; Rear: solid ø238 * Wheels: Single piece 7 x 17 alloy * Tyres:

Michelin Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ''région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and larg ...

S9M (dry) or P2H (rain) * Dimensions: Wheelbase: 2579 mm; Length/Width: 4050 mm/1988 mm * Fuel tank: FIA FT3 * Weight: 1030 kg

National cups

French Cup

Belgian Cup

United Kingdom Cup

Spanish Cup

Other championships

Other one-make racing with Renault cars

The current car

Current regulations

Chronology and cars used

Champions

See also

References

External links

External links