This Monday, Renault formalized through a simple press release the upcoming transformation of the activities of the Viry-Châtillon site, which currently hosts, among other things, F1 activities via the design and manufacture of power units. The most obvious consequence of these changes is of course the pure and simple cessation of the 2026 engine project and therefore, by the end of 2025, the end of any competition program linked to Formula 1.
Unsurprisingly, employee representatives did not welcome the news after it was taken despite their unanimous unfavorable opinion. In a press release released this Tuesday, the day after the announcement, the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) expressed its regret that such a choice had been made by management and that the solutions proposed, particularly during the meeting with Luca de Meo, were not selected.
“All staff representatives, representing the voice of employees and a majority of stakeholders, regret and deplore the decision to stop the F1 engine in 2026”we can read at the beginning of this press release. “This choice is endorsed by the Group which wishes to reduce the financial risk around F1, even though no serious study has been carried out to assess the impact on future sales and the prestige of the brand.”
“Partnership solutions were rejected by the Group, even though they would have made it possible to meet several objectives: maintaining an F1 activity, reducing development and operating costs, maintaining all skills , the possibility of bringing an already largely developed and promising RE26 engine until the 2026 season.”
“The content, resources and sustainability of the new projects that management wishes to bring to Viry still appear very largely imprecise. The communicated sizing of the F1 monitoring unit (staff and budget) still seems too low and calls into question the potential return of Alpine as a long-term engine manufacturer.”
“The history of the Viry site shows that contrary decisions have often been taken, and demonstrates the importance of maintaining highly qualified skills for the future in order to leave the door open to a return to F1 when the regulations and context financial position of the shareholder will make it more attractive.”
In addition to the question of the medium or long term future of a Renault engine in F1, employees highlight the very short term consequences, while the transformation of the site is announced for the end of this year: “This implementation of the project already seals the first very short-term consequences (within 3 months) on jobs and training:
- The Viry-Châtillon site will go from 500 to 334 jobs on January 1, with the end of the contracts of many service providers.
- The loss of‘a hundred‘indirect jobs with the main partners of‘here at the end of 2024.
- The end of the Competition‘Excellence Mécanique Alpine (CEMA) supported by the Ministry of Labor and Health and Solidarity and the Ministry of‘National and Youth Education, carrying great values d‘commitment to‘equal opportunities promoting diversity to promote a sector of young talents.”
Then they add: “In general, the cessation of the F1 engine, the lack of maturity of the projects provided and the loss of confidence in management pose a major risk of departure of critical skills from the Viry site.”
“Despite the turmoil of the last 2 months, the Viry team has continued to develop the power of the 2026 engine which Alpine is depriving itself of. This decision against the grain causes Alpine to miss out on its sporting history.”
“For all these reasons, the CSE staff representatives unanimously gave an unfavorable opinion to the transformation project. We call on the public authorities to defend the sustainability of employment on the Viry-Châtillon site.”
