Renault R28: 2008 F1 Car Specs & Stats

2

Grand Prix WinsGP Wins

2nd

Best Quali

4

Podiums

80

Points

Car Profile

Team	Renault
Season	2008
Constructors'	P4 80 pts
Races	18 (36 starts)
Designers	Bob Bell Technical directorDino Toso Head of aerodynamicsTim Densham Chief designer

Compare with another car

Drivers of the Renault R28

5 FernandoAlonso P5 2 wins · 61 pts

6 NelsonPiquet Jr. P12 1 podium · 19 pts

Full Car Statistics

Grands Prix	18
Race Starts	36
Wins	2 (5.6%)
Best Grid	2nd
Podiums	4 (11.1%)
Points Finishes	17
Points	80
Retirements	12 (33.3%)
Drivers	2

Engine & Tyres

Engine	Renault RS27 2.4 V8
Also powered	Red Bull RB4
Tyres	Bridgestone

Key Car Landmarks

FirstLast

Race2008 Australian F1 Grand Prix2008 AUS F1 GP2008 Brazilian F1 Grand Prix2008 BRA F1 GP

Win2008 Singapore F1 Grand Prix2008 SGP F1 GP Alonso2008 Japanese F1 Grand Prix2008 JPN F1 GP Alonso

Podium2008 German F1 Grand Prix2008 GER F1 GP Piquet Jr.2008 Brazilian F1 Grand Prix2008 BRA F1 GP Alonso

Points2008 Australian F1 Grand Prix2008 AUS F1 GP Alonso2008 Brazilian F1 Grand Prix2008 BRA F1 GP Alonso

2008 Finishing Positions

1st 2

2nd 2

4th 6

6th 3

7th 1

8th 3

10th 3

11th 3

15th 1

DNF 12

DNF Did Not Finish

Performance Breakdown

Win Rate

Podium Rate

Points Finish Rate

Finish Rate

2008 Race by Race

18 Grands Prix

Fernando Alonso

4810DNF610DNF86114DNF441142

Nelson Piquet Jr.

DNF11DNFDNF15DNFDNF7DNF2611DNF10DNF48DNF

1Podium 7Points 14Outside the points DNFNot classified

Stats current as of: 19 Sep 2026

Alonso Returns to Renault

The Renault R28 brought Fernando Alonso back to the team with which he had won his two World Championships in 2005 and 2006. The Spaniard had endured a turbulent 2007 season alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, a year marked by internal tensions and ultimately a mid-season breakdown in relations, and the return to Enstone offered familiar surroundings, a team that trusted his abilities, and an environment where he held unquestioned status as lead driver. The R28 itself was a competitive midfield-to-upper-midfield package that, with the right circumstances, could challenge the leading teams on certain circuits.

Singapore: The Night Race and Its Dark Secret

The 2008 Singapore grand prix, Formula 1's first night race, delivered Alonso one of his most celebrated victories, and one that would subsequently become its most controversial. Alonso triumphed under the Singaporean lights in circumstances that initially seemed extraordinary but were later revealed to have been deliberately engineered. Nelson Piquet Jr., his teammate, admitted years later, following his dismissal from the team, that he had crashed deliberately on lap 14, triggering the Safety Car that allowed Alonso to pit and emerge in the lead. The scandal, which became known as Crashgate, resulted in team principal Flavio Briatore receiving a lifetime ban from the FIA and cast a permanent shadow over a race result that had appeared to be one of the season's highlights.

Aftermath and Alonso's Legacy with the R28

Beyond Singapore, the R28 produced several other strong results across 2008, with Alonso demonstrating that his championship-winning ability remained entirely intact despite the controversies surrounding the car's most famous result. Japan also produced a victory for Alonso in conditions that suited his wet-weather mastery. The car finished the season with Renault placing fourth in the Constructors' Championship, reflecting a midfield team punching above its weight in the hands of an exceptional driver. The Crashgate revelations, which emerged fully only in 2009, ensured that the R28 would be remembered as much for Formula 1's darkest moment as for its genuine competitive achievements.

Renault R28 – Technical Specifications