Did you know that the Renault Clio Williams was the Formula 1 Safety Car?

Did you know that the Renault Clio Williams was the Formula 1 Safety Car? It’s true. This happened in the nineties, specifically in 1996. During that decade, Argentina fulfilled its dream of hosting a Formula 1 World Championship round. For four seasons it was held at the Buenos Aires Autodrome, and the day came when the Renault Clio appeared dressed in the colours of the safety car.

Years later, in 2017, that unit was put up for sale, with the honour of having run alongside the world’s best drivers. During the 1996 Argentine Grand Prix, a Renault Clio Williams was used as the Safety Car. This model was homologated by the FIA before the race. Thanks to this approval, the Clio was able to run alongside Damon Hill’s Williams, Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari and Jean Alesi’s Benetton; that is, with the best drivers in the world.

Renault Clio Williams in full Formula 1 action

The unit converted into a Safety Car was built in 1995 and received a number of modifications to comply with the FIA’s safety regulations for a safety car. It had a special vinyl livery and a custom light bar on the roof. It also featured a rollover protection cage, bucket seats with harnesses, and an official protective cover.

Between 1993 and 1996, some 3,800 units were built. The Renault Clio Williams was powered by a 2.0-litre 16V engine producing 150 CV. Thanks to this engine, it accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and reached a top speed of 215 km/h, very impressive figures considering the type of car and the year it was built. Finding one in good condition is quite a challenge!

https://youtu.be/f-iiZ_Y0dQY

In 2017, the unit that became the Safety Car at the 1996 Argentine Grand Prix was put up for sale. It was then owned by a dealership in Puerto Madero and was priced at around 50,000 dollars. The Renault Clio Williams converted into a Safety Car was in perfect condition. It had 46,000 kilometres on the odometer but did not have the roof light bar. It did, however, still have the rollover bars and the rest of the safety equipment.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Clio20 versions · from 16,390 €