2016 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0

The 2016 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season will be a multi-event motor racing championship for open wheel, formula racing cars held across Europe. The championship features drivers competing in 2 litre Formula Renault single seat race cars that conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2016 season is the 26th Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season organized by the Renault Sport and the first season as the main category of the World Series by Renault. The season begins at Ciudad del Motor de Aragón on 16 April and finishes on 23 October at Autódromo do Estoril. The series formes part of the World Series by Renault meetings at six events.

Drivers and teams

Provisional calendar

The provisional calendar for the 2016 season was announced on 5 September 2015, The championship will take the Formula Renault 3.5 Series spot in the Monaco Grand Prix schedule. Rounds at Spielberg, Le Castellet and Estoril will return in the series' calendar. These rounds (as well as Spa) will be collaboration with European Le Mans Series. On 9 October 2015, was announced that Monza round will be included in the schedule.

Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0

Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 is a is a single seater motor racing series and Formula Renault 2.0 championship with a presence of many Formula Renault championships drivers. Eurocup races only on European circuits.

It served as a support series to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series as part of the World Series by Renault from 2005 to 2015. Renault Sport offered a prize of 500,000 € to the winner of the Eurocup from till 2015.

Formula Renault

Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971, popular in Europe and elsewhere. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or Formula One.

Renault now backs several one-make single-seater series: Formula Renault 1.6, Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Renault 3.5.

At the end of each racing season, Renault Sport gives an opportunity to the best Formula Renault 2.0 drivers to try the 3.5L car at Circuit Paul Ricard.

Formula Renault 3.5L

The most senior "Formula Renault" was the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup started by Renault to run as part of Eurosport's Super Racing Weekends (ETCC and FIA GT Championship). Only two seasons were run between 2003 and 2004 before Renault left Super Racing Weekends and merged the series with the similar World Series by Nissan to create the Formula Renault 3.5 Series as part of the World Series by Renault in 2005.

World Series by Renault

The World Series by Renault is a motor racing series. The series consists of the flagship Formula Renault 3.5 Series (often referred to as simply World Series by Renault or indeed simply WSR), the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and the Renault Sport Trophy. The F4 Eurocup 1.6 was made part of the World Series in 2010, but was then dropped for 2011. The Formula Renault 3.5 will cease to be part of the World Series by Renault package from 2016 onwards.

History

Renault started the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup in 2003, as a support series in Eurosport's Super Racing Weekends (ETCC and FIA GT Championship). The series ran with Tatuus chassis and a Nissan 3.5 L V6 engine.

In 2005, Renault left the Super Racing Weekend and started the World Series by Renault and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, merging both the World Series by Nissan (whose engine contract had finished) and Renault V6 Eurocup. The Dallara chassis was retained, while the Renault V6 was improved to 425 PS. Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and the Eurocup Mégane Trophy also joined the series in 2005 to support the main FR3.5 series.