Editing Renault in Formula One (section)

==== 2016 season: Struggles in first season back ====
[[File:Renault Sport F1 logo as of 2016.png|thumb|right|Renault Sport Formula One Team logo in 2016]]
[[File:Jolyon Palmer 2016 Malaysia FP2 1.jpg|thumb|left|250x250px|[[Jolyon Palmer]] driving for Renault at the [[2016 Malaysian Grand Prix]]]]
On 28 September 2015, Renault Sport F1 announced that a letter of intent between Renault Group and Gravity Motorsports which is owned by [[Genii Capital]] had been signed and over the following weeks a takeover transaction would be discussed for the [[Lotus F1|Lotus F1 Team]] (also known as [[Team Enstone]] which was previously owned by Renault until 2010) in hopes that the team would compete in the {{F1|2016}} season as Renault Sport Formula One Team in response to the collapse of Renault's relationship with [[Red Bull Racing|Red Bull]].<ref name="Lotus-Renault intent letter">{{cite news|url=http://www.renaultsportf1.com/F1-Signature-of-a-letter-of-intent-between-Renault-Group-and-Gravity.html |archive-date=29 September 2015 |title=Lotus-Renault letter of intent |work=Renault Sport F1 |date=28 September 2015 |access-date=28 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929214759/http://www.renaultsportf1.com/F1-Signature-of-a-letter-of-intent-between-Renault-Group-and-Gravity.html }}</ref> It was speculated that F1 veteran [[Alain Prost]], who drove for Renault from 1981 to 1983, could take a senior role in the team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12473/10009528/renault-have-confirmed-they-are-to-take-a-controlling-stake-in-lotus|title=Renault signs a letter of intent to buy a controlling stake in Lotus|website=Sky Sports|access-date=6 September 2020}}</ref>

On 3 December 2015, Renault announced that they had purchased the Lotus F1 Team and were preparing for the 2016 season with further information to be released in early 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lotusf1team.com/news-archive/renault-announces-return-to-formula-1-in-2016|title=Renault Announces Return to Formula 1 in 2016:Lotus F1 Team|date=7 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207110424/http://www.lotusf1team.com/news-archive/renault-announces-return-to-formula-1-in-2016|archive-date=7 December 2015}}</ref> As Renault returned to Formula One as a full-works constructor team, [[Red Bull Racing]] was officially demoted to Renault's customer team and thus received [[TAG Heuer]] rebadging sponsorship from 2016 to 2018 seasons.

On 3 February 2016, Renault unveiled the testing livery for their 2016 car, the [[Renault R.S.16]], and confirmed [[Kevin Magnussen]] and [[Jolyon Palmer]] as its two race drivers, 2015 GP3 champion [[Esteban Ocon]] as its reserve driver, [[Carmen Jordá]] as its development driver, and that multiple drivers, including 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 champion [[Oliver Rowland]], [[Jack Aitken]], [[Louis Delétraz]] and [[Kevin Jörg]] are a part of its [[Renault Sport Academy|driver academy]]. Additionally, [[Bob Bell (motorsport)|Bob Bell]] (formerly of [[Mercedes-Benz in Formula One|Mercedes]], [[Marussia F1|Marussia]] and the previous incarnation of Renault) was confirmed as the team's chief technical officer and [[Frédéric Vasseur]] (of [[ART Grand Prix]]) as the new racing director.<ref>{{cite web|title=Renault launch 2016 car with Kevin Magnussen alongside Jolyon Palmer|url=http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12040/10154227/renault-launch-2016-car-with-kevin-magnussen-alongside-jolyon-palmer|publisher=Sky Sports|access-date=7 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207105530/http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12040/10154227/renault-launch-2016-car-with-kevin-magnussen-alongside-jolyon-palmer|archive-date=7 February 2016|date=4 February 2016}}</ref> Renault Sport F1 is mainly partnered with the [[Renault-Nissan Alliance]]. However it also has other sponsorships with partners including Bell & Ross, [[Devialet]], [[EMC Corporation|EMC]], [[Genii Capital]], [[Infiniti]], [[TotalEnergies|Total]], [[CD-adapco]], [[Microsoft]], [[Pirelli]], [[OZ Group|OZ Racing]] and [[Jack & Jones]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Introduction |url=http://renaultsport.com/Introduction.html?lang=fr |publisher=Renault Sport |access-date=7 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207105628/http://renaultsport.com/Introduction.html?lang=fr |archive-date=7 February 2016 }}</ref>

The team finished the season in ninth place with 8 points.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/2016.aspx|title=2016|website=www.statsf1.com|access-date=22 January 2019}}</ref>