Renault F1 Team runs F1 car in Whitehall In presence of
Tony Blair
 The
Renault F1 Team today ran its Formula 1 car in the heart of
Whitehall in the presence of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The Renault F1 Team today marked the beginning of the British
Motor Show with a special demonstration run in the heart of
Whitehall, in the presence of Prime Minister Tony Blair. With
Damon Hill at the wheel, the world championship-winning Renault
F1 R25 gave a short demonstration run in front of Mr Blair
ahead of a reception to mark the official opening of the British
Motor Show.
This special F1 demonstration marks the opening of the 2006
British Motor Show, which this year returns to London for
the first time in 30 years, and preceded an evening reception
for senior figures from the British motor industry at Number
10 Downing Street. Damon Hill is Britain's most recent world
champion, and won his title a decade ago at the wheel of a
Renault-powered Williams. Now President of the BRDC (British
Racing Drivers' Club), Damon was a natural choice to drive
the car on this occasion - and he was delighted with the experience.
"This was only a small demo of the car, but I am proud
to have taken part in this unique project," enthused
Damon as he stepped from Fernando Alonso's 2005 World Championship-winning
car. "The motorsport industry is among the crown jewels
of Britain's high-technology sector, and the level of expertise
that we see in Formula 1 is the pinnacle. To have a Formula
1 car running in the heart of Whitehall, in the presence of
the Prime Minister, is the most dramatic way possible of highlighting
Britain's standing in one of the most challenging sporting
disciplines in the world."
The Renault F1 Team R25 chassis – and its current R26
racer – are the fruit of a truly international collaboration.
Every Renault F1 car beats with a French heart, courtesy of
the high-performance engines designed and developed at Viry-Châtillon,
Paris. But the team has assembled an international network
of expertise in order to achieve championship-winning success.
It was with this in mind that it established its chassis design
and manufacturing operation in Enstone, Oxfordshire –
employing over 500 people within the 'Motorsport Valley' that
centres on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.
"Formula 1 is a truly global sport and to be successful,
you need the very best there is to offer," continued
Hill. "Renault has an international outlook, and they
recognised that Britain has unique expertise in this sector.
Their willingness to assemble the skills they need to win,
while maintaining their identity as a distinctively French
company, has been a key factor in the success they are now
enjoying."
Photo: Steven Tee/LAT Photographic.
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