The relation and support of Repsol to motorsport competition has also come at a foundation level. The Renault Cup was the best example of this, along with the collaboration with riders, drivers and teams.
The fact that the Escuderia Repsol would disappear as such in 1973 did not mean that the energy company retired from competition. After years of intense activity, an instant departure was simply not an option.
For that reason, in the 1970s a series of agreements with Renault were established, leading to the support of the Renault 8TS Cup from which a great deal of top Spanish drivers would emerge.
As later occurred with the Renault 5, the R8 TS was a more obtainable vehicle for starting out in racing. Its simple mechanics which required little preparation was an aid, and with some anti–roll bars, a harness belt and plenty of courage, drivers were ready to go.
The Renault 8 TS was a magic car. Demanding, smooth and with endless finesse, any mistake behind the wheel would lead to dropping tenth after tenth of a second in the simplest of manners.
Winners of the Cup included Salvador Canellas (1969), Juan Ignacio Villacieros (1972), Luis Perez Sala (1980) and Carlos Sainz (1983), amongst others, as they went on to make a big impact on other series.
The Renault 8TS Cup would be followed up by the Renault R5 Cup, which would be completely backed by Repsol in terms of prizes and race bonuses.
Repsol also supported drivers like Genito Ortiz in 1981, when he was driving a Golf GTi to fifth in the Spanish Championship. Later, they would part–sponsor Genito and Carlos Sainz from 1981 through 1985, in a collaboration which would include a Spanish Rally title in 1983.
In 1982 Repsol co–sponsored the Fiesta 1600 Group 2 for the Ford team, with Salvador Servia and Jose Couret as drivers. Ford would win the constructors championship that year.
Repsol has a history of supporting sport at all levels, and continues to do so as motorsport goes from strength to strength.
