Sounds silly but Renault have really made a teapot to celebration its 40th anniversary in Formula 1. Its less silly when you understand the story behind it.
Renault’s entry into F1 started in 1977 with a car called the RS01. At the 1977 Silverstone Grand Prix Renault took up its position with the first Formula 1 turbo engine in history. Other teams followed and modern Formula 1 models are still using turbos today.
Any new technology, especially when used to its extremes such as in motorsport that technical difficulties and reliability problems can and usually do crop up. So, carrying the make’s colours – dominant yellow, black and white – the RS01 often entered the stands lane streaming white smoke, synonymous with engine trouble.
The car received its nickname “Yellow Teapot” as a joke by Ken Tyrrell, the boss of the eponymous team after seeing the smoking car pass in front of his garage. The name stuck and was used by his team and other team members at Grand Prix events. Despite its name Renault won its first Formula 1 victory just two years later at the Grand Prix de France in Dijon in 1979 with the RS01.
This success and the following ones validated the concept of the Turbo in Formula 1 and won the respect of the British teams, led by the Tyrell team.
The Yellow Teapot is inspired from the past and present, of the RS01 and of the new RS17, going as far as using the official paint used on it and the use of carbon fibre.
This teapot will equip the kitchens of the Atelier Renault restaurant on the Champs-Elysées starting in September.
Available from early September and limited to just 40 pieces, with a recommended sale price: 129 Euros (approx. £114)
Points of sale: Atelier Renault and the e-shop of Atelier Renault – http://shop.atelier.renault.com/en