--- title: "Here’s the First Firing of McLaren’s New Renault-Powered F1 Car" description: "Listen as the MCL33 fires up and shoots exhaust fumes of hope into the lungs of McLaren-Renault staff." date: "2018-02-17" modified: "2018-02-17" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18573/heres-the-first-firing-of-mclarens-new-renault-powered-f1-car" categories: - "News" tags: - "Fernando Alonso" - "Formula 1" - "mclaren" - "McLaren F1 Team" - "News" - "Renault Sport" --- # Here’s the First Firing of McLaren’s New Renault-Powered F1 Car ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Newly partnered [McLaren-Renault]() has made public the first firing of its contender for the 2018 Formula One World Championship, and to say that the anxiety is palpable is an understatement. The [video]() uploaded to McLaren's YouTube channel is short on details, only showing the team's racing director Eric Boullier accompanied by the engineering team and other McLaren staffers. Several folks wearing Renault polo shirts are shown on standby, while others look at computer monitors as engine telemetry flows in real time. Following the disastrous [partnership with Honda](), this first demonstration brings a lot of unanswered questions for the future of the team, but especially its number one driver Fernando Alonso, who is more than ready to clinch a third world championship. https://youtube.com/embed/LRA3woRhKBA The new Renault engine is a direct-injected turbocharged V6 with hybrid kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems. No specifications have been released, but in 2017, the R.S.17 motor could rev up to 15,000 rpm and produce more than 900 horsepower. The French automaker will also provide powerplants to Red Bull Racing in 2018, despite losing [Scuderia Toro Rosso]() as engine customer to none other than Honda. Lastly, the video closes with "#BEBRAVE" which couldn't better represent McLaren shareholders' feelings. ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()