It incorporated carbon fibre – a material which was becoming increasingly commonplace in F1 at the time – into parts of its construction, and featured distinctive aerodynamic kick-ups ahead of the rear wheels.

The car had advanced ground effect technology, with concessions given to the new rules for 1981 which banned sliding skirts.

At the team's home race in France, René Arnoux put the car on pole position, before team-mate Alain Prost took his first Grand Prix victory.

It was a shame, because the RE30B was probably the most competitive car that season, having the best compromise on outright performance - with a good chassis and aerodynamics - and a powerful enough engine.

The car was quick around all kinds of different circuits - even around even tight, slow circuits like Monaco, Detroit, Zolder and Long Beach - where the other cars with turbo-charged engines (Ferrari, Brabham-BMW, and less competitively Toleman-Hart) lacked in performance, due to the heavier weight and poor engine pickup, thanks to massive turbo lag, so the cars with the less powerful naturally aspirated engines were able to capitalize by being able to get more power more quickly out of slow corners.

With seven wins and sixteen pole positions, the RE30 was Renault's most successful car until Fernando Alonso's world championships of 2005 and 2006.