Renault selects PFC Brakes for Clio RS R3T rally car

PFC Brakes has been chosen as official brake supplier to Renault Sport Technologies for its new Clio RS R3T rally car. The company’s pads, discs and calipers incorporate innovations, such as piston cap insulators, which reduce temperature transfer to the brake fluid by as much as 55˚C, minimising the risk of boiling the fluid. This should help the brakes to deliver better performance on tarmac and gravel while adhering to stringent cost and technical requirements set for the category.

The Clio RS 200 EDC’s turbocharged 1618cc engine generates more power than the existing R3 car, so PFC Brakes says its engineers set out to develop a durable brake system to withstand the higher loads and temperatures generated.  Larger and wider front discs are specified for tarmac to improve heat dissipation under the increased loads experienced on long tarmac stages.

The calipers are derived from PFC Brakes’ ZR34; made from forged monoblock aluminium it offers an improved blend of weight and stiffness. The manufacturer also offers a brake pad with a larger radial depth, providing a larger contact area to deliver better stopping power than the standard size typically used by competitors.

Testing across a variety of surfaces led PFC’s engineers to determine that due to the wide operating window of its pads, just two PFC compounds can satisfy the demands of drivers of all abilities on all surfaces. Both the chosen compounds deliver improved bite, modulation and release characteristics with the one of the versions offering particular resistance to wheel locking. To enable drivers to use the brakes right from the start of a stage, PFC specified brake pads designed to work at low temperatures and the unique metallic matrix construction ensures consistency for the duration of a stage, further inspiring driver confidence.

The announcement to supply Renault Sport Technologies follows PFC Brakes’ selection as official brake partner to Porsche for its Supercup chassis earlier this year. “We are delighted to be nominated by Renault Sport Technologies for such an important car,” says PFC Brakes Europe’s managing director Peter Babbage. “Together with Renault Sport Technologies, PFC Brakes has created a competitive and affordable rally brake package ideally suited to competitors in the R3 category that will inspire confidence, whatever the surface.”