£3bn-valued F1 team already trying to poach staff from failed Renault-Alpine engine project

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The Renault Formula 1 engine project will formally end at the conclusion of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

It means Alpine will be a rare example in F1 of a team going from a factory team to a customer although they haven’t formally announced which power unit they’ll be using going forwards.

Mercedes are expected to supply Alpine’s engines going forward, with Ferrari, Honda, Red Bull-Ford and newcomers Audi the alternatives.

It seems unlikely that Alpine would take a risk on the German giants first foray into F1 engines and they would likely have a similar stance when it came to Red Bull’s first independent power unit.

Aston Martin have signed an exclusive deal with Honda from 2026 and while Sauber and Haas have close ties to Ferrari, there are promising noises coming out of the Mercedes factory about their new power unit.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Alpine F1 Team from team principal to lineage

While the workers at Viry-Chatillon are now aware that their days working on the Renault F1 project are numbered, that doesn’t mean their employees are done with working in the sport.

A report from Motorsport Italia suggests that one team are already circling and looking for the best talent for when they move on from F1 for good.

There has been a lot of movement between teams behind the scenes this year with Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin the highest profile story.

Jonathan Wheatley, Jerome d’Ambrosio, Andy Cowell and Enrico Cardile are all big names who have moved up and down the paddock, but it appears as though Ferrari are already taking an interest in some of Renault’s staff.

Monza was where Renault staff decided to protest against the ending of the engine program and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the £3bn-valued Italian team were already analysing who they could poach for their power unit work in the future.

Ferrari already looking at Renault’s ending F1 engine program for new recruits

The report from Motorsport Italia suggests that without the F1 project, the factory at Viry-Chatillon is ‘very redundant’ and suggests some people could end up losing their jobs.

Ferrari have therefore reportedly sensed an opportunity and want to ‘turn the tables’ by hiring some of the top staff that could be let go by Renault.

They highlight that they wouldn’t only be looking to bring in French staff from the factory to bring to Maranello.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory

But not only that, they believe that any workers hired that have been let go by Renault wouldn’t have to take any gardening leave.

Gardening leave has become a hot topic in the sport with Newey not starting with Aston Martin until March 2025 and Wheatley having to wait even longer to join Audi’s burgeoning F1 project.

If Ferrari can immediately enjoy the benefit of some of Renault’s most talented workers coming in – especially ahead of a new set of regulations with brand new power units – then that could give them the edge over their rivals.

Luca de Meo speaks out about ending Renault’s F1 project

For months, Renault were denying that changes to their engine program were coming before they finally confirmed that they would be following in the footsteps of McLaren and Williams.

Luca de Meo has shared his thoughts on Renault diverting their efforts to other projects although while he said he’s saddened, he admitted that he couldn’t think like a fan in this scenario.

Alpine’s Enstone factory have been told the team aren’t for sale, but closing one of the most important aspects of the team won’t fill them with much confidence.

Flavio Briatore is still recruiting key personnel for the team, but Alpine did decide that enough is enough, there are plenty of people who want to earn their place on the F1 grid.