- The Williams F1 team will use Renault engines in 2012 and 2013.
- That alliance is a renewal of a historic partnership between the two entities.
- Williams won four driver's and five constructors' championships with Renault.
GROVE, England — One of the truly iconic names from Formula 1's recent history, Williams-Renault, will be revived next year, thanks to an agreement between the storied British F1 team and Renault Sport F1.
The agreement, announced Monday, will see AT&T Williams using V8 engines from the French manufacturer, which has powered more F1 champions than anyone except Ford and Ferrari, including reigning champion Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull Racing.
Williams has 113 grand prix victories to its credit, more than anyone except Ferrari and McLaren. Renault is 3rd behind Ferrari and Ford, with 136 victories as an engine manufacturer, and is tied for 5th with Brabham with 35 victories as a chassis constructor.
Four of the seven F1 driver titles and four of nine engine manufacturer titles Renault can claim were won in partnership from 1989-'97 with the team of Sir Frank Williams. Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost won back-to-back titles for Williams-Renault in 1992-'93 and the Williams team took constructor honors the next two years.
Michael Schumacher took the 1994 and '95 titles with Benetton, the second year with Renault power after a switch from Ford. Williams-Renault then reclaimed the title with Damon Hill in 1996 and Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.
More recently, Renault won constructor, driver and manufacturer titles in 2005-'06 with Fernando Alonso.
And even though Vettel's title is the first one for the French marque since '06, the engine has proven to be one of the very best in F1, along with Mercedes and Ferrari, every year since the Alonso days.
The RS27-2011 engine powers six cars on the current grid, including those of Vettel and Mark Webber with Red Bull, the Lotus Renault cars of Nick Heidfeld and Vitaly Petrov and the Team Lotus cars of Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli.
As for Williams, Sir Frank's teams had already won four constructor titles and three driving championships before the association with Renault began. Alan Jones (1980), Keke Rosberg (1982) and Nelson Piquet (1987) were the drivers, with constructor titles in all three years plus 1981.
The agreement also includes language suggesting that Renault will continue to supply Williams when the new turbocharged V6 engine formula goes into effect in 2014.
Inside Line says: Recalling the prominence of Williams in the 1980s and '90s, it's hard to believe Sir Frank has not tasted victory since Juan Pablo Montoya's triumph in the 2004 Brazilian GP. Renault power alone won't end the winless streak — but it won't hurt Williams' future prospects.
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