The RE30 was a complete redesign from its predecessor the RE20, sharing only the fundamental turbocharged engine concept. Carbon fibre — an increasingly common material in contemporary Formula One design — was incorporated into parts of the car's construction. The aerodynamic design featured distinctive kick-up elements ahead of the rear wheels, and the car used advanced ground effect technology adapted to comply with the 1981 regulations that banned sliding skirts. The initial version carried a full-span front wing. Power came from the Renault turbocharged V6, now producing approximately 540 horsepower through twin KKK turbochargers.
Renault used the RE20B for the first five races of the 1981 World Championship before introducing the RE30 at the Monaco Grand Prix. The car was immediately the fastest on the grid and widely regarded as the quickest in the field, though the early-season deficit caused by the RE20B's unreliability prevented a title challenge.
At the French Grand Prix — the team's home race — René Arnoux qualified on pole and Alain Prost took his first career Grand Prix victory. The car then claimed pole position at each of the following five races, with Arnoux on pole three times and Prost twice. Prost won again in the Netherlands and finished second in Germany; Arnoux was second in Austria. Prost then won in Italy and added a second place at the Las Vegas Caesars Palace finale. Prost finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship while Arnoux placed ninth, and the team took third in the Constructors' standings.
For 1982, the car was updated to RE30B specification with a redesigned nose section featuring separate left and right front wing elements and a revised rear wing. Aerodynamic development had progressed sufficiently that the cars frequently ran without front wings entirely. Engine output was raised to approximately 590 horsepower. Prost began the year strongly with wins in Brazil and South Africa, but Ferrari, Williams, and McLaren subsequently closed the performance gap.
The RE30B proved an exceptional qualifying car — Prost or Arnoux started from pole for the majority of rounds — but reliability was compromised throughout the year by problems with the car's new electronic fuel injection system, which failed repeatedly in race conditions. Corporate pressure at Renault required the team to continue with the system regardless. Arnoux took two victories in the second half of the season but finished only four races across the entire year. Prost lost probable victories at Monaco, Austria, and Dijon to late-race failures. He salvaged fourth in the Drivers' Championship; Renault again placed third in the Constructors' standings.
A notable characteristic of the RE30B was its competitive performance at tight, slow circuits such as Monaco, Detroit, Zolder, and Long Beach, where rival turbocharged cars from Ferrari, Brabham-BMW, and Toleman-Hart were at a disadvantage due to the heavy turbo lag inherent in their engines, which prevented effective power delivery out of slow corners. The RE30B's combination of a refined chassis, efficient aerodynamics, and a turbocharged engine with better throttle response made it broadly competitive across different circuit types.
The RE30 was updated to RE30C specification for the opening races of 1983, before the new RE40 became available. Alain Prost and new team-mate Eddie Cheever both drove the RE30C at the season opener in Brazil, with Cheever also racing it at Long Beach. The RE30C was built to comply with the flat-bottom regulations introduced that year, featuring a larger rear wing and revised front wing configuration.
The RE30 series represented the high point of Renault's turbocharged works effort. Its record of seven wins and sixteen pole positions stood as the benchmark of the team's achievement until the constructor era gave way to Renault's subsequent role as an engine supplier, and then to the championships won with Alonso as a customer team in 2005 and 2006. The car demonstrated that a turbocharged car could be genuinely competitive across all circuit types — not merely on high-speed tracks where power was the dominant factor — and its development of Prost as a race winner proved decisive for Formula One's subsequent decade.