Renault F1 Factory Tour
Discussion
Bit of a lurker I'm afraid on these parts, but finally got round to sorting some photo's out to share with you people.
On a different forum I use, there is a guy who works for the Renault F1 team and occasionally puts out a post allowing a selected number of people to come for a tour of the F1 factory in Enstone and I was lucky enough to get a tour just after Silverstone 2010.
Below is some of the photo's taken and I'll try to explain what they are. My memory is a bit hazy as it was mid last year.
Exhaust Manifold hanging on the wall, 200 man hours to make these and extremely light to hold!
Power steering rack - about 30cm is width
Side wings - Freshly back from the paint shop (external contractor)
Claving for the carbon fibre
Rear wing in a jig
Floor - we weren't allowed to take photo's of the rear
Front wing in a jig
Steering wheel (KERS on the top left) A lot heavier than I thought it would be
Wiring diagram of the car
Parts store, there is another 2 isles of spares / shims / washers
Pit lane testing rig
Rear End
Kubica chassis or spare, can't remember
Chassis number
Brake covers, made of carbon (naturally), about £1000 a piece
One of the drivers car
What happens beneath the drivers seat
Oil (larger) and gearbox oil cooler
Side pod
Through the side pod
Drivers water bag
Part of the floor
Petrov's car
Front caliper assembly
Gearbox
Setting the steering up
Storage of all the spare panels / seats / etc..
Overhead shot of the 2 cars ready to be worked on
Stats
Trophy cabient
Engine parts
Hope you enjoyed the photo's
On a different forum I use, there is a guy who works for the Renault F1 team and occasionally puts out a post allowing a selected number of people to come for a tour of the F1 factory in Enstone and I was lucky enough to get a tour just after Silverstone 2010.
Below is some of the photo's taken and I'll try to explain what they are. My memory is a bit hazy as it was mid last year.
Exhaust Manifold hanging on the wall, 200 man hours to make these and extremely light to hold!
Power steering rack - about 30cm is width
Side wings - Freshly back from the paint shop (external contractor)
Claving for the carbon fibre
Rear wing in a jig
Floor - we weren't allowed to take photo's of the rear
Front wing in a jig
Steering wheel (KERS on the top left) A lot heavier than I thought it would be
Wiring diagram of the car
Parts store, there is another 2 isles of spares / shims / washers
Pit lane testing rig
Rear End
Kubica chassis or spare, can't remember
Chassis number
Brake covers, made of carbon (naturally), about £1000 a piece
One of the drivers car
What happens beneath the drivers seat
Oil (larger) and gearbox oil cooler
Side pod
Through the side pod
Drivers water bag
Part of the floor
Petrov's car
Front caliper assembly
Gearbox
Setting the steering up
Storage of all the spare panels / seats / etc..
Overhead shot of the 2 cars ready to be worked on
Stats
Trophy cabient
Engine parts
Hope you enjoyed the photo's
Asterix said:
Great photos - looks quite messy compared to something like McLaren - then again, I guess everywhere in the world does as well!
The chap that showed us around, did say they were kind of messy / old school in comparison with McLarenrubystone said:
I am surprised they let you take photos....did you get to see the CFD facility or the R & D wing too?....What's the new windtunnel like now?
We were allowed to take photo's of anything we wanted, apart from the engine and the rear of the floor. We didn't see the wind tunnel, think it maybe have been elsewhere. Not sure what you mean on the CFD facilityTen years ago when we showed people around the old facility in Woking there were no cameras allowed anywhere apart from teh trophy room. The same principle exists today in 'The Death Star'. I am amazed that Renault allowed cameras into their factory. Most teams are pretty media shy and do allow partners (sponsors) to stage certain images for ad campaigns and VIP events etc.
Prodrive do a fun tour and the Nascar boys do a great show over in North Carolina.
Prodrive do a fun tour and the Nascar boys do a great show over in North Carolina.
Bollah said:
We were allowed to take photo's of anything we wanted, apart from the engine and the rear of the floor. We didn't see the wind tunnel, think it maybe have been elsewhere. Not sure what you mean on the CFD facility
You can't miss the wind tunnel - look out of the windows that run the length of the design office - I don't think they moved it....just installed one which had doors big enough for a full sized car (the old one could take a full sized car but the doors weren't big enough....)From what I understand, the Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) "room" is underground in the building.
Great photos OP - thanks for sharing.
Couple of years ago I was lucky enough to do a Lola factory tour, we were allowed to take photos everywhere except the wind tunnel - I think that might have been due to the model of their new F3 car being there!
If anyone is in the slightest bit interested in motorsport if you get chance to any factory tour then do it!
Couple of years ago I was lucky enough to do a Lola factory tour, we were allowed to take photos everywhere except the wind tunnel - I think that might have been due to the model of their new F3 car being there!
If anyone is in the slightest bit interested in motorsport if you get chance to any factory tour then do it!
rubystone said:
Bollah said:
We were allowed to take photo's of anything we wanted, apart from the engine and the rear of the floor. We didn't see the wind tunnel, think it maybe have been elsewhere. Not sure what you mean on the CFD facility
You can't miss the wind tunnel - look out of the windows that run the length of the design office - I don't think they moved it....just installed one which had doors big enough for a full sized car (the old one could take a full sized car but the doors weren't big enough....)From what I understand, the Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) "room" is underground in the building.
The wind tunnel control room would have been out of bounds - blanket rule as they obviously don't want to risk you going in and seeing something a bit trick.
CampDavid said:
The wind tunnel control room would have been out of bounds - blanket rule as they obviously don't want to risk you going in and seeing something a bit trick.
Control room maybe, but tunnel...not to me at least...what I find odd is that the OP was allowed to take photos of some sensitive material, yet doesn't appear to have had a nose around the less sensitive areas. It's been a few years since I was last there...I assume they haven't left Flav's office as a tribute to him in the same way The Old Man's has been left untouched.... 
Arnold The Bat said:
StevieBee said:
What's with the religious icon stuck on the cockpit inside?
It looks like it is the Black Madonna of Czestochowa which plays a very big role in Polish catholicism as it is both Poland's holiest relic and one of the country's national symbols.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff