The championship was founded by the British Automobile Racing Club in 1989. Renault Sport UK took over organisation the following year, giving the series greater resources and profile. The name changed several times over its lifespan: initially Formula Renault UK, it became Formula Renault Sport UK between 1995 and 1999, then Formula Renault 2000 UK in 2000, and finally Formula Renault 2.0 UK from 2005 onward.
The engine specification also evolved accordingly. The original cars used 1,721cc engines; between 1995 and 1999 a 2,000cc 8-valve unit was used; and from 2000 onward all cars ran 2,000cc 16-valve engines. In 2000, Tatuus replaced the chassis supplier, introducing a modern one-make package that influenced the broader Formula Renault format used in similar championships across Europe including GP2 Series, GP3 Series and Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Michelin served as tyre supplier and title sponsor from 1992 onward.
The championship ran as a support series to the British Touring Car Championship as well as the UK round of the World Series by Renault, giving drivers significant exposure in front of large crowds.
The championship produced a remarkable number of drivers who went on to Formula One careers, several of whom became world champions. Kimi Räikkönen won the title in 2000 and made his Formula One debut the following year, generating enormous attention for the series. His success demonstrated that a strong Formula Renault UK campaign could serve as a direct launchpad into the highest level of motorsport without the traditional intermediate steps.
Lewis Hamilton raced in the series, as did Paul di Resta and Heikki Kovalainen, all of whom progressed to Formula One. Both Räikkönen and Hamilton went on to become Formula One World Champions, in 2007 and 2008 respectively, cementing the championship's reputation as a genuine talent production line.
At its peak the championship held 20 races over 10 meetings per season. Each race weekend began with a Friday testing session consisting of two 25-minute runs. Two 20-minute qualifying sessions on Saturday set the grids for the weekend's two 30-minute races. Points were scored down to 20th position, with two additional points awarded for the fastest lap in each race. The best 18 results from the season counted toward the championship, allowing drivers to drop their worst results.
A Graduate Cup operated as a secondary class within the main championship, designed to help younger or less experienced drivers gain a foothold in the series. Eligibility required no more than two Formula Renault 2.0 race meetings of prior experience (with some exceptions) and an age limit of under 19 years. The highest-placed Graduate Cup finisher at each round received a podium trophy, and the class winner was awarded a discount on the entry fee for the following season.
In March 2012, Renault Sport UK announced that the Formula Renault 2.0 UK championship would not take place that year, citing only six confirmed entries — insufficient to sustain a viable grid given that season costs had risen to approximately £200,000. The promoter Stéphane Ratel Organisation initially planned a one-year hiatus with a relaunch in 2013, but the series was declared definitively ended in September 2012.
A proposal to revive the championship was developed by the BARC and motorsport promoter Grovewood in 2014, envisaging a two-tier format combining the modern Tatuus FR2.0/13 with older BARC-specification machinery. However, negotiations with Formula Renault's organisers broke down, and the revival plan was dropped amid competition from new domestic series including MSA Formula and BRDC Formula 4.
Alongside the main Renault Sport UK series, the British Automobile Racing Club operated its own separate Formula Renault championship continuously from 1995 to 2014. The BARC series differed significantly: it used older chassis, fixed gear ratios, an intake restrictor to reduce engine wear, and allowed only one new set of tyres per outing, making it a more affordable option primarily for amateur competitors. The BARC championship took on greater prominence from 2012 — renamed the Protyre Formula Renault Championship in 2013 — as the only active British Formula Renault series after the collapse of the Renault Sport championship. It was itself ended after the 2014 season as grid sizes declined.