The car's best results were three second-place and two third-place finishes, making it the first factory Renault not to win a Grand Prix in a season since the RS01 in 1978.

[2] The car was expected to be as competitive in the hands of two-time Grands Prix winner Tambay and the highly rated Warwick as the RE40 had been when driven by Alain Prost to four wins in 1983.

The Renault EF4 turbo engine was said to be powerful, at 800 bhp (597 kW; 811 PS), but usually fuel consumption was too high for either driver to challenge for more than 2nd or 3rd place at most races.

The other main problem was that the car's tub was somewhat fragile, although made of carbon fibre stronger than the traditional aluminium.

Both drivers were injured as a result of their cars suspension arms punching through the carbon fibre monocoque.