In the pantheon of great Formula 1 engines, names like Ferrari’s Tipo 021, Honda’s RA168E, and Ford’s Cosworth DFV reign supreme. Yet, lurking in the shadow of the turbo era is a remarkable piece of engineering that rarely gets its due: the Renault DF357.
To understand the DF357, one must first understand the chaos of the mid-1980s. This was the peak of Formula 1’s "turbo wars," where qualifying boost pressures approached 5.5 bar and engines produced north of 1,300 horsepower in short bursts. Renault had pioneered turbocharging in F1 with the RS01 in 1977, but by 1983, they were playing catch-up to BMW, TAG-Porsche, and Ferrari. renault df357
The DF357 was Renault’s answer to that pressure—the final evolution of the 1.5-liter V6 turbo before regulations changed and the manufacturer withdrew its factory team at the end of 1985. In the pantheon of great Formula 1 engines,
When DF357 is present, the driver may experience the following: Loss of power / rough running