Renault will cease production of Formula One engines in 2026, bringing to an end nearly five decades of involvement in the sport, as announced by the Alpine team on Monday. This decision was previously hinted at by former Alpine team principal Bruno Famin back in July.
Alpine also announced that their facility near Paris, which employs over 300 people, will be transformed into a ‘Hypertech’ engineering center. This new hub will also feature an ‘F1 monitoring unit’ dedicated to supporting their Formula 1 activities.
“Formula One activity at Viry, excluding the development of a new engine, will continue until the end of the 2025 season,” the statement read”. Each employee affected by this transformation project will be proposed a new position within Alpine Hypertech.
Alpine stated that the F1 monitoring unit would be designed to “preserve the team’s expertise in Formula 1 and drive forward innovation across Hypertech Alpine’s various projects.”
The news out of Alpine with France-based Renault power unit programme to cease operations after 2025 🚨📰#F1 https://t.co/shtjqGJkmh
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 30, 2024
Renault made its Formula 1 debut in 1977, revolutionizing the sport by introducing turbocharged engines and claiming five driver’s championships and six constructors’ titles. Alpine, currently ninth in the Constructors’ Championship after several leadership changes, remains the only team using Renault power units. Their chassis production facility is located in Enstone, England.
Alpine is now likely to partner with Mercedes AMG Petronas to supply engines. Current Constructor’s leaders McLaren along with Williams and Aston Martin use Mercedes engines currently and with Aston Martin set to partner with Honda from next season, Alpine is likely to grab on the vacant spot and acquire a partnership with Mercedes.
Is Alpine sale on the cards?
Alpine’s poor performance in the ongoing Formula 1 season has sparked speculation that Alpine may well be out of Formula 1 in the near future. Earlier, reports suggested that if a sale of the Alpine team were to occur, it would likely made upon a condition that the new owner will continue to utilize Renault power units for the foreseeable future. However, with Renault ending its 5-decade-long involvement in F1 next season, the rumors of potential F1 sales have reemerged.
After finishing fourth in the 2022 constructors’ championship, Alpine set their sights on regular podium finishes and closing the gap on the top three teams: Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes. However, just over a year later, the situation has drastically changed. CEO Laurent Rossi, team principal Otmar Szafnauer, and key figures like sporting director Alan Permane and technical director Pat Fry have all departed the team, leaving Alpine in a period of transition.
The situation surrounding Alpine is complex, and it’s no surprise that speculation about a potential takeover has emerged. As per common market dynamics, companies are often acquired when their valuation is at its lowest, making Alpine’s current struggles an attractive opportunity for interested buyers.
Read More: Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Exit: 5 Moments That Made the Australian a Popular F1 Driver
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
