As Renault prepares to celebrate 40 years in Formula 1, its the space-age R.S. 2027 Vision concept car leaps ten years into the future to express the French manufacturer's vision of where the sport is heading.

"One of our aims at Renault Sport Racing is to point the way to the future of Formula 1," explains Cyril Abiteboul, managing director of Renault Sport Racing, "helping this discipline pull in audiences in an environment consistent with Groupe Renault objectives.

"We're very proud of this concept car, which addresses fans, motorsport enthusiasts and the public at large with a tantalizing expression of our ideas and aspirations for the future."

"It's more human, more conscious of the entertainment factor, more exciting," according to Renault.

"The R.S. 2027 Vision puts the emphasis squarely on the human factor, the entertainment factor," says the manufacturer. "With its 3D-printed transparent cockpit, in tough, lightweight material, R.S. 2027 Vision let spectators actually get a look at the driver behind the wheel. And with his transparent helmet, the driver loses that faceless appearance: spectators can see his reactions, as with any other sportsman.

The futuristic design includes novel lighting details:

C-shape LED headlamps and illuminated diamond badge on the bonnet, connecting brand identity between the racer and Renault's current product range.

Active LED lighting in the wheels, displaying data such as the driver's position in the race and the vehicle's energy situation, to provide the audience with direct information on the race as it is being run.

"Because Groupe Renault's priority on safety extends to Formula 1, design decisions for the shape of racing in 2027 contribute to safer racing conditions all round, starting with the drivers. So the closed cockpit protects the driver against the risk of impact from flying debris. And the aerodynamic bubble in ultra-strong impact- and flame-resistant polycarbonate forms a safe survival capsule for the driver, strapped into the seat, in the event of vehicle roll."

"With power peaking at 1 megawatt and weight down to 800 kilos, the R.S. 2027 Vision boasts a power/weight ratio unprecedented in Formula 1.

"With four-wheel steering, the concept car is more agile and precise, and more manoeuvrable in the stands.

"Its high-energy-density batteries are coupled through a high-efficiency energy recovery system that stores power for subsequent release, along similar lines to the system on Renault's mainstream electric models like ZOE Z.E. 40."

Check out our R.S.2027 gallery, here.