1994 BTCC Renault Laguna - a photo on Flickriver

1994 BTCC Renault Laguna

            Pictured is a works-entered Renault Laguna as driven during the 1994 Auto Trader RAC British Touring Car Championship by double British Touring Car Champion Alain Menu and 1992 BTCC Champion Tim Harvey.

Run by GB Motorsport under the Renault Dealer Racing banner the Laguna was introduced for the start of 1994 as a replacement for the smaller 19 that Renault raced during the 1993 season, the French marque's first factory BTCC effort.

After winning a race apiece during 1993 Tim Harvey and Alain Menu were retained for the new season. After a slow start during the first meeting at Thruxton, the Renaults would not qualify outside the top eight all season long.

The second race of the season at Brands Hatch would see the two French cars lining up on the second row of the grid and an all-Renault front row followed later at Oulton Park.

Results during the year improved as time went on and, by the end of the year, the Lagunas were the closest challengers to the all-conquering Alfa Romeo team.

Menu took the car's first podium finish in Round 5 at Silverstone and followed this with the Laguna's maiden victory next time out at Oulton Park, leading from pole position. He would score a second victory later in the season at Knockhill.

Harvey had a much tougher season. Whilst the 1992 champion was a match for his Swiss team-mate in terms of outright speed he suffered the lion's share of the relability problems with the new car. The highlight of his year was a pole position at Silverstone later in the season which he converted into his only victory of 1994.

At the end of the season Menu and Harvey would finish second and ninth, respectively, in the championship with Renault as runners-up in the Manufacturers Championship. 

The cars also competed in the FIA Touring Car World Cup at Donington Park with a third car entered for BTCC stalwart David Leslie. Leslie was eliminated in a first lap multi-car accident, Menu crashed out later on and Harvey retired with mechanical failure.

For 1995 Renault placed the Lagunas in the hands of the Williams F1 team under the Williams Touring Car Engineering banner. Alain Menu was joined by 1991 BTCC champion Will Hoy with Tim Harvey heading to Volvo. The cars became regular winners and would ultimately go on to take both championships in 1997.

Pictured in October 1994 at the International Motor Show show at the NEC in Birmingham.

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Birmingham (show map)

Taken on: October 21, 1994

Tags:

BTCC

British Touring Car Championship

Alain Menu

Tim Harvey

Renault Dealer Racing

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