For several weeks, rumors have been circulating that Alpine would like to buy an engine from Mercedes from the 2026 season and stop its own production.
Around a hundred employees of the Alpine Formula 1 team (formerly Renault-Sport) demonstrated on Thursday in front of the Renault group headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) against the announced cessation of production of its engine in France, an AFP journalist noted.
« We want to defend this unique know-how“, stressed Clément Gamberoni, elected member of the social and economic committee (CSE) and spokesperson for the employees, who had already mobilized during the Italian Grand Prix at the end of August. Renault, which has been designing and manufacturing its own F1 engines at its Viry-Châtillon (Essonne) site for 47 years, informed employee representatives at the end of July of its wish to transform this factory.
The idea would be to buy an engine for the Alpine F1 single-seaters from 2026, probably from Mercedes according to employees, rather than continuing to manufacture it within the company. This decision would affect 360 employees, but also many Alpine subcontractors. The savings would be 120 million euros per year, the cost of purchasing another engine being limited to 17 million euros, according to Renault management. A new Alpine engine is however ready, promising and currently being tested, noted the employees’ spokesperson.
A future still written in dotted lines
Alpine management told AFP that the final decision had not been made and that an expert report still had to be submitted to the CSE on September 30. But even an unfavorable opinion from the CSE would not block the project. All employees concerned would be offered a position in Alpine’s other activities, in the preparation of cars for customers, the Formula E or Dakar disciplines, for example, the brand’s management specified.
« We are not in a standoff, we want Mr. (Luca) de Meo (CEO of the Renault group, Editor’s note) have all the arguments before making your decision“, Mr. Gamberoni said under the windows of Mr. de Meo’s office. Even though we know that when it gets to that level, the decision may have already been made.» CGT activists from other Renault group sites came to support the demonstrators on Thursday in Boulogne-Billancourt.
« F1 is an exceptional technological and marketing showcase that is difficult to give up.“, noted Karine Dubreucq, CGT union delegate at Alpine, during a press conference at the beginning of September. This is a stab in the back. We had managed to develop an engine in 18 months, we are asking Mr. de Meo to reconsider his project, and give this engine a chance.“, added Ms. Dubreucq.
