Williams: The Renault years in pictures

F1 pictures

July 5, 2011 at 4:22 pm by Keith Collantine

Williams and Renault formed one of the most potent partnerships F1 has ever seen.

Between 1989 and 1997 they won 63 out of 146 races and took pole position 79 times – more than half the races they entered together,

With the pair set to join forces again next year, here’s a look back on their remarkable nine years of success.

: 1989: Riccardo Patrese leads for Williams-Renault in their first race together

: 1989: Renault’s RS1 V10 engine in the FW12C

: 1989: Thierry Boutsen gives the Williams-Renault partnership its first win in Montreal

: 1989: Boutsen ends the season with a win in Adelaide

: 1990: Patrese ends his seven-year wait for a win in Imola

: 1990: Boutsen wins in Hungary under pressure from Ayrton Senna

: 1991: Patrese and returning team mate Nigel Mansell duel in Mexico

: 1991: Mansell begins a mid-season charge with victory in France

: 1991: Mansell gives Senna a lift after winning at Silverstone

: Riccardo Patrese, Williams, Estoril, 1991

: 1991: Mansell’s title hopes end in the gravel at Suzuka

: 1992: Mansell wins four in a row in the devastating FW14B

: 1992: Mansellmania at Silverstone

: 1992: Mansellmania at Silverstone

: 1992: Mansell celebrates his fifth win at home

: 1992: Mansell finally clinches the title at the Hungaroring

: 1993: Williams and Renault dominated in their fifth year together

: 1993: Alain Prost takes over from Mansell as team leader

: 1993: Damon Hill gets his first win at the Hungaroring

: 1993: Alain Prost wins his fourth and final championship

: 1993: Prost signs off with second place at Adelaide

: 1994: Senna replaces Prost alongside Hill

: 1994: But Senna’s time at Williams was all too brief

: 1994: Hill is the team’s only car in Monaco – and he retires on the first lap

: 1994: David Coulthard joins the team in Senna’s place

: 1994: A temporary return for Mansell

: 1994: A rapturous reception for Hill and Coulthard at Silverstone

: 1994: Adrian Newey designed several of the great Williams-Renaults

: 1995: This British Touring Car Renault Laguna was an extra-curricular project for the team…

: 1995: …as was this F1-engined Espace MPV!

: 1995: Hill tangles with Michael Schumacher at Silverstone…

: 1995: …and they fight again at Spa-Francorchamps

: 1996: Hill wins the title at Suzuka, but the team dropped him for 1997

: 1996: Hill applauds new team mate Jacques Villeneuve who almost won his first race

: 1996: Villeneuve put Hill under pressure

: Jacques Villeneuve, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Williams, Melbourne, 1997

: 1997: The infamous moment as Schumacher tries to take out Villeneueve…

: 1997: …but Villeneuve survives to take the title

: 1997: Renault’s last season with Williams

: 1997: Renault leave the sport after a string of titles with Williams and Benetton

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27 comments on Williams: The Renault years in pictures

King Nigel Mansell said on 5th July 2011, 16:35

The beautiful years…

sw6569 (@sw6569) said on 5th July 2011, 17:04

Thanks Keith. Nostalgia overload makes me a happy fanatic.

- Fixy (@fixy) said on 5th July 2011, 17:53
  
  I have a new fan moment: Williams!
  
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65) said on 5th July 2011, 17:05

The Espace!!! :D I remember using it every day in Gran Turismo 2!

- Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 5th July 2011, 17:09
  
  Ah, then you’ll love this…
  
  Video: Road cars with F1 engines
  
  - BasCB (@bascb) said on 5th July 2011, 19:42
    
    Most certainly so Keith! :-D
    
    - damonsmedley (@damonsmedley) said on 6th July 2011, 18:20
      
      Wow, that’s really interesting! I can’t believe I’d never seen that!
      
      And very good pictures. I’ve saved them all for wallpapers! :D
      
- ajokay (@ajokay) said on 5th July 2011, 17:14
  
  Finally a decent picture of the F1 Espace!
  
  Every single one of these cars is beautiful, and the FW17 has to be my all-time favourite F1 car.
  
  Aww heck, it is my all time favourite F1 car.
  
xbx-117 (@xbx-117) said on 5th July 2011, 17:19

Wow, there are some great shots here. The Mansell and Senna shot always makes me smile, such a great moment. Wish I could have seen it live.

- spanky the wonder monkey said on 6th July 2011, 14:42
  
  that was one of ‘those’ moments that defines F1 / motorsport. intense rivals, yet still sporting.
  
Robbie said on 5th July 2011, 18:05

That image of the infamous moment of MS bouncing himself off JV and into the kitty litter is one that is forever etched in my mind…

Eggry (@eggry) said on 5th July 2011, 18:25

Glorious moments. Let’s hope it would come back soon.

dennis (@dennis) said on 5th July 2011, 18:30

I want sparks back. Badly.

The Last Pope said on 5th July 2011, 18:36

Ah the memories.

One small error though, Coulthard joined Williams as a test driver in ’93, not in ’94 as a replacement for senna.

sw6569 (@sw6569) said on 5th July 2011, 19:11

Such a shame that Mansellmania (i.e. post-race track invasions) cannot happen anymore. Yes they were dangerous, but wow they made the victory that much more special.

DaveW said on 5th July 2011, 19:54

The 92 season and Mansellmania was a huge moment in motorspot and that picture brings back memories. Silverstone underlined an epic season for him. And then he immediately came to CART, putting a massive international spotlight on U.S. open wheel racing. CART was probably at its peak then, with incredibly powerful engines and aero that was pushing 230 at Indy. Then you had Mansell come in to join Mario Andretti, two Unsers, Cheever, Paul Tracy, Rahal, Vasser, Pruett, Fittipaldi, Sullivan, to name some. Many greats and a lot of quality F1 provenance.

Of course, his swap with Michael Andretti also attracted much attention, but of a different tone. In any event it put a lot of new American eyes on F1.

literalf1 (@literalf1) said on 5th July 2011, 20:05

This certainly is very nostalgic, even though neither the cars nor the paint job is anything similar.

The Renault engine is actually a very good engine, very drivable & fuel efficient. Sadly, most people only talk about it’s lack of power all the time.

Oli said on 5th July 2011, 21:56

Some great memories from looking through these pictures. For me F1 hasn’t quite been the same without a competitive Williams team. Would love to see them challenging once more. I’ve always liked the 1991 FW14 for some reason, late 80′s and early 90′s was so good, proper cars :-)

- Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 5th July 2011, 22:05
  
  I’ve always liked the 1991 FW14 for some reason
  
  Fascinating to compare it with the 1990 Williams and the Leyton House CG901B from the same year, arguably its true predecessor. Adrian Newey’s fingerprints all over it.
  
  - BasCB (@bascb) said on 6th July 2011, 11:47
    
    sure does.
    
- spanky the wonder monkey said on 6th July 2011, 14:44
  
  For me F1 hasn’t quite been the same without a competitive Williams team. Would love to see them challenging once more.
  
  agree totally.
  
  saw a documentary on FW on satellite a few weeks ago. williams were the true underdogs!
  
UKfanatic (@) said on 6th July 2011, 5:17

I hope that the British people will now wake up and really appreciate Williams, since 97 forgotten but thankfully revived.

- Oli said on 6th July 2011, 18:26
  
  To be fair I imagine Williams have always been appreciated by the British fans. Its just that they have been in constant decline since the BMW days ended (and since Montoya left), there’s not been too much to celebrate. Lets hope this is the start of a revival!
  
Mike said on 6th July 2011, 8:46

Great pictures Kieth, just exceptional.

smifaye (@smifaye) said on 6th July 2011, 10:23

Oh man, I fricking love Williams, especially these years.