- for anniversary race
Long time racer Martin Sadler of Hemel Hempstead is to compete in a one-off anniversary race for Renault 5 racers with a car that spent the last 16 years parked up in a dilapidated garage. Martin rescued the 1987 Renault 5 GT Turbo Coupe from a tumbledown garage on Easter Monday and is working in his spare time to get it ready for the celebration race at Thruxton Circuit on 30th May.
Martin, 48, is Fleet Manager at W Waters and Sons Renault in Hemel Hempstead, and has driven almost every type of Renault racing car during a long association with the marque both on and off the track. He started off in motor sport in the 1970s by competing in road and stage rallies, and raced in the UK Renault 5 GT Turbo championship in 1988 and 1989. In the 1990s he raced and prepared Renault Clio racing cars in the UK and Europe.
When Martin heard about the 'last ever' Renault 5 race he knew he had to take part. "I had to be involved - there was no question," Martin said. "The Renault 5 was the first racing car I ever drove. I was just married at time and my wife and I called the car 'our new kitchen', since most of our money seemed to be spent on it."
The car he bought for the event had been resting in a garage in North London for nearly 16 years until Easter Monday this year. The Renault 5 was owned from new and last raced by Tony Kenworthy. With only 1488 miles on the clock, the car was still in reasonably good condition, but the garage was collapsing around it. "The car was holding up the roof of this falling-down garage, which had a tree growing through it," Martin explained. "It took us half a day to get it out. We had to angle-grind the locks off the garage and when we pulled the doors back there was about an inch to spare to get the car through."
When it finally emerged from the wreckage, the car was still wearing its 1987 racing livery, numbers and sponsors' decals, and in a totally original form. Before the car could run, Martin had to strip down and clean the entire fuel system as petrol left in the car had turned to jelly, clogging up the fuel tank, lines and carburettor. He has also replaced a corroded windscreen surround, and is restoring the electrics.
Martin hopes the anniversary race will recreate some of the atmosphere of Renault 5 racing in the 1980s, which was close, professional, but enjoyable for competitors. "I've kept in touch with a lot of the drivers. I can't think of another series where we've had that kind of relationship. I'm hoping it will be a bit of a reunion," Martin said.The Renault 5 Elf Celebration race is part of a two-day Renault Festival to celebrate 30 years of Renault's involvement in UK motor sport, also featuring the Formula Renault UK Championship and ELF/BTE Lawline Renault Clio Cup on 30th May.
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