Jabouille believes in the ‘yellow teapot’
The Renault RS01 was the first Formula One car to be powered by a turbocharged engine. It was also the first to use radial tyres, which were provided by Michelin. Designed by André de Cortanze and Jean-Pierre Jabouille, it first appeared at the 1977 British Grand Prix.
Picture above: Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the wheel of the Renault RS01 Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5 V6t, at the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix (finished 10th).
The rules of the F1 at the time permitted 3.0 litre naturally-aspired engines, with a clause stating that a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine was also permitted. None of the teams pursued this avenue and stuck to the Ford Cosworth V8 engines, whilst Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Matra concentrated on developing Flat-12 engines.
Convinced by Jean-Pierre Jabouille who had glimpsed its potential, French car manufacturer Renault decided to develop a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine, and a car to accompany the powerplant. The RS01 was born.
Beginnings were not easy: the RS01 was chronically unreliable, earning the nickname ‘the yellow teapot’ from rival teams, as it tended to regularly blow up, but Jabouille and the team pressed on throughout the rest of 1977 and 1978 until scoring the car’s first points, a fourth place at the 1978 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen (picture below). The story was just starting.