RENAULT

Renault-Williams Laguna BTCC famous in BTCC and DTM was recently auctioned

In the 90s, the British Touring Championship (BTCC for its acronym in English) was very popular, as well as the famous German DTM. One of the cars that most marked this period was the Renault-Williams Laguna BTCC, like the one that was auctioned by Artcurial at Le Mans and which appears in the images.

In 1993, Renault Dealer Racing, which brings together the French brand's dealers in the United Kingdom, decided to participate in the British BTCC championship with a Renault 19. Later, it was the turn of the Renault Laguna, the successful French sedan of the 90s, prepared by Renault Sport Anthony.

The high level of the championship spurred Frank Williams and Patrick Head, general director and technical director of the Williams-Renault Formula 1 team, respectively, to get involved in the BTCC, creating the Williams Touring Car Engineering team with two examples of the Laguna.

The start was good for Renault, which won the constructors' title ahead of Vauxhall, Volvo and Ford, thanks in particular to the one-twos from Alain Menu and Will Hoy in the season finale at Oulton Park and Silverstone. The 1996 season was more discreet, while in 1997, the team once again took the brands' championship and Alain Menu the drivers' championship.

In 1998, the team had drivers Alain Menu and Jason Plato, and two Laguna with Nescafé 37 livery. That year, although the start had been good, Renault finished third in the standings. The year 1999 was a disappointing season, with Jean-Christophe Boullion, test driver for Williams F1, replacing Alain Menu.

The Laguna BTCC that was auctioned is one of two units used in the 1999 season. It comes directly from the Renault Classic department, which acquired it at the end of the 1999 season from Williams Touring Car. It was later displayed for promotional purposes at Renault UK's Technocentre in 2003.

He hasn't raced since his last season in the BTCC, so he's in exactly the same state he was in after the last race. The auction house warns that, in order to race again on circuits, it requires a previous mechanical overhaul. A car for BTCC lovers, which sold for 107,280 euros.

Autonews