Renault: No BTCC return in foreseeable future.

Renault were undoubtedly one of the top teams during the so called heydays of the British Touring Car Championship in the 1990s.

After limited success in its debut year with the Renault 19, the team switched to the new Laguna for 1994 and over the next six years, drivers such as Alain Menu, Will Hoy and Jason Plato would establish the car as one of the top models of the super-touring era.

The high point for Renault was the 1997 season. In his fifth year with the team, and after three years as runner-up, Menu finally got his hands on the BTCC drivers crown. Team mate Jason Plato finished third in the title race in his debut year as the Williams run cars came home first in over half of the races during the season.

After failing to repeat the stunning success of 1997 in the following two years, Renault made the decision to leave the BTCC at the end of the 1999 season. Since then, the French manufacturer has remained a strong supporter of the TOCA package; with the Formula Renault single-seaters and the one make Clio Cup currently supporting the BTCC.

At the moment, Renault has no plans to return to the touring car championship itself, although that could change further down the line.

"Currently there are no plans for Renault UK to take part in the BTCC again," a spokesman told Crash.net.

"Renault's position is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future as, centrally, Renault Sport has its hands full with the new World Series by Renault amalgamation of Formula Renault V6 and Dallara Nissan, plus the launch of the Megane Trophy silhouette car, both for next season.

"However, our success in the BTCC in the 1990s was a wonderful time and the whole experience was a tremendous boost to the sporting image of the Laguna.

"If that kind of boost was needed again, then entering the BTCC would be the way to do it."