The Renault Clio Cup Series is a one-make racing series created and managed by Alpine Racing (until 2020 known as Renault Sport). The championship was born after merging the 4 active Renault Clio national cups at that moment plus the Clio Cup Europe.

Renault Clio Cup
CategoryOne-make racing by Renault
Country19 different countries
(Europe, Latin America, China)
Inaugural season1966
ConstructorsRenault
Official websiteSite of actual clio cup
Current season

National cups

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Gabriele Torelli chasing the leading drivers during the Renault Clio Cup Europe race at the Red Bull Ring in 2021

Up to 22 different renault cups have come into existence at some point: Belgium, Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom for example.

French Cup

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The French Clio Cup has been held since 2004.

The French Cup started in 1966 and used in succession Renault 8 Gordini (1966–1970), Renault 12 Gordini (1971–1974), Renault 5 LS kitée (1975–1976), Renault 5 Alpine (1977–1981), Renault 5 Alpine Turbo (1982–1984), Renault 5 GT Turbo (1985–1990), Renault Clio 16S (1991–1996) and Renault Mégane Coupé 16V (1997–2000).[1] The French Cup wasn't held between 2001 and 2003.

Belgian Cup

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This series started in 2001 as the Renault Sport Clio Cup Elf, but in 2005 the championship was cancelled due to the lack of participants.[2] It returned in 2008 as the Renault Clio Cup Belux 2008 with 6 meetings.[3]

The Renault Cup started in 1987 with the Renault 5 GT Turbo Cup organised jointly with the Netherlands.[4] The Benelux championship switch into Belgian Cup with Renault Clio 16S between 1991 and 1996. Then it was Renault Mégane Coupé 16V (1997–2000) and finally the actual Clio cup (2001–2004, and since 2008).

United Kingdom

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The series' first winner of the inaugural race for Renault 5 TLs held in Brands Hatch was Maggie Loynd in 1974. The series, was previously known as the Courier Connections Renault UK Clio Cup and supported the British Touring Car Championship. In 2024, Clio Cup GB returned to UK circuits under the MSV, (MSV Trackdays), banner.

The series previously supported the British leg of the World Series by Renault event.

The series saw subsequently these cars: Renault 5 TL (1974–1977), Renault 5 TS (1977–1985), Renault 5 GT Turbo (1985–1990), Renault Clio 16V Mark I (1991–1995), Renault Sport Spider (1996–1999), Clio Renaultsport 172 (2000–2001), Clio Renaultsport 182 (2002–2006), Clio Renaultsport 197 (2007–2009),[5] and Clio Renaultsport 200 (2010–2019).

The series' past champion winners includes Andy Priaulx, Jason Plato and Tom Onslow-Cole. Other than that, past drivers of the series that were notable outside of racing were Andrew Ridgeley of the pop group Wham! in 1985[6] and it introduced actor Rowan Atkinson to motorsport, which he raced seldom between 1984 and 1990. One of his races was documented for his one-off show, Driven Man. The car has since re-emerged for a reunion race in 2004, which he aimed to compete in, but had to be substituted by Perry McCarthy, due to illness. Atkinson bought the car following the race and was auctioned off in a Bonhams auction in 2005.

Spanish Cup

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The Copa Nacional Renault is the longest running racing championship on speed circuits in Spain. The championship was released in 1969 taking advantage of the beginnings of the Jarama Circuit. It was organized for much of its history by FASA-Renault and Renault Sport Spain, while in its last decade it remained active thanks to Vline, Codony Sport and Driveland Events. Its last edition with its own national regulations was in 2020, denominating itself in its last 20 years of existence as Renault Sport Clio Cup Spain.

Other championships

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Copa Clio Brasil, W Racing 2006 car
 
2009 Renault Clio Cup in Motorland Aragón

Other one-make racing with Renault cars

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The current car

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A Renault Clio R.S. V after the first race at the Red Bull Ring 2021

Since 2020, the championship uses Renault Clio R.S. V with an Renault HR13 engine.

  • Engine: Renault HR13, 4 cylinder, 1330 cm3 Turbo.
  • Transmission: Sequentially controlled, dog-clutch box with 5 gears and controlled ZF differential.
  • Suspension: Front: MacPherson; Rear: H axis.
  • Brakes: Discs, Front: ventilated ø280; Rear: solid ø238
  • Wheels: Single piece 7 x 17 alloy
  • Tyres: Michelin S9M (dry) or P2H (rain)
  • Dimensions: Wheelbase: 2579 mm; Length/Width: 4050 mm/1988 mm
  • Fuel tank: FIA FT3
  • Weight: 1030 kg
  • Fuel: BP Ultimate Racing 102 RON unleaded
  • Lubricants: Castrol Edge

Current regulations

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Scoring system
Position 10º 11º 12º 13º 14º 15º 16º 17º 18º 19º 20º
Points 50 42 36 33 30 27 24 22 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1

Chronology and cars used

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Renault Promotional Cups
Series 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
  France   Europe
/
Clio Series
Gordini 8 Cup Gordini 12 Cup 5 LS Cup 5 Alpine Cup 5 Alpine Turbo Cup 5 GT Turbo Cup Clio Cup I Megane Cup II III IV V V
  Spain 8 Cup 5 TS Cup 5 Turbo Cup 5 GT Turbo Cup Clio Cup I Megane Cup II III IV V
8 Cup 5 TS Cup 5 TX Cup 5 GTS Cup Clio Cup I
  Italy 5 LS Cup 5 Alpine Cup 5 Alpine Turbo Cup 5 GT Turbo Cup Clio Cup I Megane Cup II III IV
Central Europe IV
  United Kingdom 5 TL Cup 5 TS Cup 5 GT Turbo Cup Clio Cup I Spider Cup II III IV
   Switzerland 5 TS Cup 5 GT Turbo Cup 5 GT Cup Clio Cup I Megane Cup II III
Benelux   Netherlands 5 GT Turbo Cup Clio Cup I Megane Cup II III IV
  Belgium Clio Cup I Megane Cup II III
  Portugal 5 GT Turbo Cup Clio Cup I Megane Cup II
Scandinavia   Denmark Clio Cup I II III
  Sweden III IV
  Germany Bohemia II III III (VLN) III
  Czech Republic
  Argentina Megane Cup
  Turkey II
  Mexico II
  Brazil II Super
  Slovenia III
  China III IV
  UAE V
Other series
1980s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
  Europe Renault 5 Alpine Cup Renault 5 Turbo Cup Renault Clio Cup Spider Elf Trophy R.S. Clio Trophy Eurocup Clio
Alpine V6 Turbo Cup Renault 21 Turbo Cup Megane Trophy R.S. Trophy Alpine Elf Cup
  United States IMSA Renault Cup IMSA Renault Cup
SCCA Sports Renault

Champions

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Renault Clio Cup
Year         Clio Cup     Benelux      
Central Europe
  Clio Cup
2014   Nicolas Milan   Marc Guillot   Óscar Nogués   Mike Bushell   Sebastiaan Bleekemolen   Robert Helling   Dino Calcum
2015   Marc Guillot   Rafa Villanueva   Simone Iacone   Ashley Sutton   Niels Langeveld   Henric Skoog   Pascal Eberle   Senna Iriawan
2016   Éric Trémoulet   Éric Trémoulet   Cristian Ricciarini   Ant Whorton-Eales   Sebastiaan Bleekemolen   Marcus Annervi   Dino Calcum   Kenneth Lim
2017   Marc Guillot   Álex Royo   Gustavo Sandrucci   Mike Bushell   Sven van Laere   Joel Jern   Tomáš Pekař   David Lau
2018   Nicolas Milan   Nicolas Milan   Simone Di Luca   Paul Rivett   Sebastiaan Bleekemolen   Frank Yee
2019   Dorian Guldenfels   David Pouget   Felice Jelmini   Jack Young   Tomáš Pekař   Yang Chun Lei
2020   Nicolas Milan   Nicolas Milan   Massimiliano Danetti   Tomáš Pekař
2021 Clio Cup Europe
  Nicolas Milan[9]
Italian group (A) French group (B) Central group (C) Spanish group (D)
  Marc Guillot[10]   Nicolas Milan   Marc Guillot[11]   Nicolas Milan
Clio Cup Series Clio Cup Middle East
Year       Eastern Europe    
2022   Nicolas Milan[12]   Álex Royo[13]   Gabriele Torelli[13]   Marc Guillot[14]   Anthony Jurado[15]
2023 Clio Cup Series (Overall):   David Pouget[16]   Jerzy Spinkiewicz
  David Pouget[17]   Adrián Schimpf[18]   Luca Franca[19]   Gabriele Torelli[20]   David Pouget[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Renault French Cup Palmarès Archived October 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine renault-sport.com
  2. ^ Le rideau tombe... renault-sport.be (January 15, 2005)
  3. ^ Feu Vert pour la Renault Sport Clio Cup 2008 renault-sport.be (May 21, 2007)
  4. ^ Pour perpétuer la tradition sportive renault-sport.be (June 13, 2005)
  5. ^ Clio Cup curtain-raiser thrills Brands Hatch crowds automotoportal.com (April 3, 2007)
  6. ^ The Drivers : Andrew Ridgeley historicracing.com
  7. ^ "Kategoriarkiv: Renault Clio Cup". Clio Cup Sweden (in Swedish). Renault Motorsport Sverige. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  8. ^ "New entry-level Clio Cup Series launched by Renault & BARC". Renault Sport UK. Renault Sport. December 17, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  9. ^ Anthony Jurado conclut la saison en beauté
  10. ^ Group A Final Standings 2021
  11. ^ Group C Final Standings 2021
  12. ^ France Final Standings 2022
  13. ^ a b La dernière de l’année pour Milan
  14. ^ Eastern europe Final Standings 2022
  15. ^ Pouget s’impose, premier titre pour Jurado
  16. ^ Clio Cup Series Final Standings 2023
  17. ^ French Final Standings 2023
  18. ^ Spanish Final Standings 2023
  19. ^ Italian Final Standings 2023
  20. ^ Mid-Europe Final Standings
  21. ^ Europe Final Standings 2023
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