Renault to revive yellow livery for 2016 Formula One return
Leaked images suggest Renault will bring back its classic yellow colours as it rebrands the former Lotus F1 team for the 2016 season.
Renault is preparing to return to Formula One as a full works team in 2016, with leaked images indicating the car will run a yellow and black livery reminiscent of the marque’s previous F1 efforts. The move comes as Renault completes its takeover and rebranding of the team previously known as Lotus.
Photographs circulating from the latest issue of F1 Racing magazine show the 2015 Lotus E23 chassis repainted in yellow, featuring Pastor Maldonado’s number 13 and PDVSA sponsorship. The colour scheme strongly echoes the livery used by Renault in 2010, the last time the French manufacturer ran a factory team before selling its stake and becoming an engine supplier.
A transition year for the new works team
The 2016 car will be a reworked version of the Lotus E23, originally designed for Mercedes power. Renault’s trackside operations director, Alan Permane, has described the upcoming season as a “tricky” transition, given the late change to Renault engines and the challenges of integrating new management and technical teams.
Permane acknowledged that the E23’s architecture was not optimised for Renault’s power unit, which is likely to affect performance early in the campaign. The team is expected to focus on development throughout the year, with hopes of returning to the podium in future seasons rather than in 2016.
Management and plans to be revealed in February
According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Renault will announce its full management line-up and further 2016 plans on 3 February. The French manufacturer is understood to be committing a substantial budget to its F1 project, aiming to rebuild the team’s competitiveness after several years as an engine supplier and a challenging period for Lotus.
The yellow livery signals not only a visual break from the black and gold Lotus era but also a clear intent to re-establish Renault’s identity in the sport. The team will compete against established works squads such as Ferrari and Mercedes, with the first public appearance of the new colours expected at the official launch event.
A familiar look for fans and sponsors
Renault’s return to yellow is likely to resonate with fans who remember the team’s previous F1 successes. The livery also aligns with the branding of key sponsors, notably PDVSA, which remains associated with driver Pastor Maldonado. The team’s immediate focus will be on stability and development, with longer-term ambitions to challenge for wins as the new structure beds in.
- Renault’s last full works livery in F1 was yellow and black in 2010
- Lotus ran black and gold from 2012 to 2015
- 2016 car will carry Maldonado’s number 13 and PDVSA branding
