Renault Sport Racing and DuPont Announce Strategic Partnership

Cyril Abiteboul hopes DuPont can help his mid-pack team

Renault Sport Racing and DuPont today announce a multiyear strategic technical partnership to deliver new technology, beginning with hybrid and electric powertrain innovative solutions to help advance Formula 1 and other racing programs. Through a shared vision to address unique challenges in the rapidly changing mainstream automotive industry, Renault Sport Racing and DuPont also will explore opportunities to co-innovate and accelerate development of new technology for future consumer and road car applications.

“We are excited to team up with the Renault Formula 1 Team to help deliver disruptive innovations in automotive technology," said Marc Doyle, Chief Operating Officer for the DowDuPont Specialty Products Division, and Chief Executive Officer-Elect for future DuPont. “Formula 1 is known for being the most technologically advanced sport in the world and has embraced hybrid electric powertrains in recent years. If the DuPont and Renault Formula 1 Team co-developed technologies can make a performance difference under the speed, stress and heat of an F1 car racing around a track at 370 kph, or 230 mph, then we are confident we can accelerate those solutions to benefit road car applications."

DuPont has been bringing essential innovations to the automotive industry for over 80 years and their leading engineering polymers and adhesives solutions play a vital role today in lightweighting, thermal management, connectivity and improved safety. In motorsports, DuPont™ Kevlar fiber is already used in the tires and the bodywork of Formula 1 cars, while DuPont™ Nomex paper is used inside the car’s battery shielding and electrical insulation. DuPont also contributes to helping protect drivers: Nomex fiber is used in race suits to help protect against heat and flame, and Kevlar fiber is an important safety component in driver helmets.

“DuPont has a long-standing legacy for inventing and developing innovative products that improve performance in motorsport and consumer vehicles, while also making them safer, more efficient and sustainable," said Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director of Renault Sport Racing. “Our multiyear technical development partnership will enable ongoing collaboration to advance hybrid technology and chassis solutions, which we believe will ultimately result in improved efficiencies and on-track competitiveness."

In 2018, DuPont launched its AHEAD™ (Accelerating Hybrid-Electric Autonomous Driving) initiative, which focuses on creating technology and materials solutions in vehicle electrification, connectivity, autonomous-driving and related infrastructure which will play a key role in the technical partnership with the Renault F1 Team. Areas of collaboration include developing structural adhesive solutions for thermal management of batteries, as well as materials for power, infrastructure and signal electronics. As these innovative, high-performance materials are rapidly validated in the motorsport environment, they can directly benefit the design of lighter weight and more fuel-efficient vehicles without compromising performance, comfort or safety – whether that be in a race car or a road car.

Renault Sport Racing

For more than 115 years, motorsport has constituted an integral element of Renault’s DNA. In Formula One, Renault has started more than 600 races and clinched 11 Drivers’ titles, 12 Constructors’ crowns and 177 grand prix victories. In 2016, spurred on by this illustrious track record and eager to reaffirm its commitment to the sport, Renault launched an all-new entity encompassing all of the brand’s motorsport activities – Renault Sport Racing – and another to manage the development and sale of the Renault Sport Cars portfolio. The key objectives were to promote the company’s passion for motorsport to a wider audience while maximizing the technological synergies between racing and rally and its road-going sports models.

About DowDuPont Specialty Products Division

DowDuPont Specialty Products, a division of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials, ingredients and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, building and construction, health and wellness, food and worker safety. DowDuPont intends to separate the Specialty Products Division, which will be called DuPont, into an independent, publicly traded company. More information can be found at www.dow-dupont.com.