Renault celebrates 40 years of F1 with... a teapot?
Don't get me wrong, it's a nice teapot. But still.
Renault first entered the world of Formula 1 with the RS01 racer all the way back in 1977. Four decades later, the company is still in it, and it's celebrating with a spot of tea.
Renault chose to celebrate its milestone by building a real-life version of the "Yellow Teapot." While its creation is, you know, an actual teapot, the name didn't come from a kettle. Instead, it was a nickname given to Renault's RS01 as it drove into the pit lane with a whole bunch of smoke in tow.
These days, McLaren-Honda's cars act like teapots more than Renault's.
Being able to poke fun at oneself is important in Formula 1. Yes, it's a serious form of motorsport, but constant innovation can go hand-in-hand with missteps from all manner of manufacturers. Renault didn't have the greatest luck out of the gates, but it took its hits like a champ, and now look at it -- OK, maybe it's still a backmarker team, but the livery is neat.
As for the teapot itself, it's reminiscent of a modern Renault F1 car. The spout is shaped like a F1 car's nose, and the top even resembles a cockpit. The handle is aggressively angled, and the whole thing is clad in Renault's current yellow-and-black livery scheme. In terms of functionality... it's a teapot. Water goes in, water gets hot, you get it.
You'll have to be faster than Renault's Formula 1 car to pick one up. Renault will only sell 40 copies of this teapot, and they're priced at 129 euros (or about $145) each. If you miss out on the opportunity, just wait 10 years for the 50th anniversary.
