Renault has always been a brand that has resonated with Australian motorsport fans as a favourite in the hot-hatch market.
Last year was no exception, when Motorsport Australia ambassador Daniel Ricciardo partnered with Renault in Formula 1 and the carsales TCR Australia Series featured two Renault Meganes running its inaugural season – even the most casual motorsport fan couldn’t miss the familiar ‘jaune’ yellow.
For the Renault Car Club of Victoria, they have already long celebrated the brand with the club forming back in the 1950s and having more than 175 members currently on their list.
The club are part of many car clubs on display throughout the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2020, with 10 cars on display around turn 10 of the Albert Park circuit.
Club President Rodney Apcar believed the club had received a lot of attention recently from both Australian and international Renault fans as they look to build support for the club.
“We’re a club made up of members who have been there for 40-50 years, as well as younger kids who have just joined up,” Apcar said.
“We’re currently working on merging the generation gap between the two but we’re really happy with we’re at and we have lots of people signing up.
“It’s the second oldest Renault car club in Australia and we have been getting a big following international as of late due to the rise in popularity of Renaults thanks to Daniel Ricciardo.
“These international fans have been really interested in Australia and some were even shocked to learn we had snow when they saw some of cars competing at last year’s Targa High Country.
"Also being on display during the Australian Grand Prix helps with awareness, as a lot of people walk through. It’s fantastic as proud owners get to showcase their cars.”
While the club is unlike some of the biggest ones in Australia who hold their own events at notable racetracks, they do an excellent job in representing grassroots car clubs through the events they do hold.
From running in both Targa High Country and Targa Tasmania events, through to having cars compete in the Geelong Revival Motorsport Festival and even their own monthly coffee runs, the club has quite a busy schedule each year.
However, for Apcar, there are a few notable highlights throughout the year, which he and the club are proud of.
“We recently had our annual Renault Round Up where Renaults come from around the country came to the one spot and we did some judging,” Apcar said.
“It’s also a really good event because we are able to acknowledge a lot of owners and give out a lot of trophies there, not just the Renaults but to Alpine owners too.
"The Alpines are like an appendage to the Renault Car Club, a sub section, and we have quite of few members who own cars like that and they also do their own events, which gets a lot of attention.
"Garry Rogers Motorsport, who run the TCR Australia Renault Meganes have invited our club to have meetings at their workshop, which is fantastic.
“Our Renault Car Club is starting to get a lot of recognition overseas due to social media, they don’t realise we have a big following of Renaults, especially the Alpines so it’s great to see we are building. “
Interested Renault fans can get more information on how to join the club via their website or via social media with the club holding events every month.