In 2005, Spain’s Fernando Alonso, driving a Renault, won the Formula One World Championship at the age of 24 years and 58 days, breaking Laureus World Sports Academy member Emerson Fittipaldi's record as the youngest champion. His triumph, which ended Michael Schumacher's run of five consecutive championships with Ferrari, was a tribute to the superb Renault team, led by managing director Flavio Briatore, who produced a car which performed impeccably throughout the season to win the Constructors World Championship.
Alonso won seven Grand Prix – Malaysia, Bahrain, San Marino, European, French, German and Chinese – and his team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella won the opening race of the year in Australia.
The Renault factory located in the heart of the UK’s motorsport valley, the Enstone Technical Centre in Oxfordshire, produces the cars, while Renault Sport’s plant at Viry-Châtillon, 20km south of Paris, develops and manufactures the engines. Over 750 employees work around the clock at the two centres.
