Alpine F1 is still evaluating its 'options' after owner Renault decided to abandon plans for a factory Formula 1 engine for 2026.
The Enstone-based team will still use its own engines in 2025, but after that the cars will be powered by customer engines for the new rules era.
New team boss Oliver Oakes says the decision to abandon the Viry-Chatillon F1 engine project was made before his arrival.
“I was only involved at the end of the process, but Luca (De Meo, Renault CEO) was clear about why we took the direction we did. And I supported that decision , it's the right choice,” he assures AFP.
“The subject touches me because we have a long history together, which will continue until the end of next season. But it is a decision that makes sense when you remove the emotion and look at it from a pragmatic point of view.
Negotiations between Alpine and Mercedes regarding a customer powertrain contract for 2026 and beyond are widely expected to be well advanced. But it's not signed!
Oakes insists that “We are still studying this matter. A decision will be made next month for an announcement before the end of the season (December 8). We are currently studying some options. There is no urgency. “
“The media have talked a lot about the Mercedes engine, but there are many possible options. 2026 will mark the arrival of new regulations concerning the engine in particular, so there are many things to take into account in this choice. “
While waiting for 2026, we will have to go through 2025 which promises to be yet another season of transition at Enstone. What are the objectives?
“I haven't set any real goals. We have to do better next year but we also know that we will still be limited. We won't be able to solve everything in one winter, although we will also strive to do so We have already seen that we can develop the car After the recent improvements made to the single-seaters, we are able to reach Q3 next year, my goal will be to be constantly in the peloton, at the head of it. This is where this team has been more often than not, but unfortunately we have regressed in recent years.”
Has Alpine F1 finally stabilized after numerous changes in its management?
“A lot of media talks about instability, but I disagree. The big change happened last summer because the team was not going in the right direction. Bruno Famin stepped in to help stabilize the “It gave Luca (De Meo) time to define the team's strategy. Obviously, in F1, we don't like change, but this team is great, it always has been. had difficult years, but she did not not forgotten how to produce a good car, nor how to race.”
How to get things back on track?
“It's a big subject. There are obviously things to be fixed, we've been clear about that. There's no silver bullet, we just need to produce a better car. We've already talked a lot about the news options for the powertrain, that's of course a topic, but we also need to improve on the chassis. It's really about doing all these things together and making the team work as one. same entity The first thing I did when I. arrived was to ensure that at Viry and Enstone we worked more closely together.”
