Renault boss speaks out after axeing F1 engine project amid staff disputes

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Alpine is set to ditch its engines at the end of 2025 in favour of switching to a rival power unit manufacturer after a decision was made by Renault CEO Luca de Meo.

It came after months of speculation that Renault had decided to shut down its F1 engine project at their French headquarters in Viry Chatillon, in a bid to cut their losses ahead of the 2026 season.

Renault had begun work on developing its power unit for 2026 and had seen positive results on the dyno after initial tests, but the project was deemed cost-prohibitive.

Alpine’s decision was met with hostility from staff, who protested the planned closure at the recent Italian Grand Prix after it was confirmed by former team principal Bruno Famin before the summer break.

Now there is a transformation project underway which will see existing staff offloaded to ‘Hypertech Alpine’ which will focus on Renault’s electrification technology and upcoming road cars.

Speaking to French publication L’Équipe, De Meo gave a frank assessment of how the months leading up to the decision went down internally and what it meant for the team going forward.

Luca de Meo ‘saddened’ by Renault F1 engine project closure

Renault had been producing engines for the last three decades at their Viry Chatillon plant, which meant it was steeped in rich history.

French F1 driver Romain Grosjean branded the decision to shut the plant ‘sad’ on social media, having previously raced for them between 2012 and 2015.

De Meo has delivered a frank verdict on why he ended up deciding to stop the production of power units and switch to being a customer team for 2026 onwards.

“It is a very emotional subject, also for me. It saddens me a lot, but this is the result of months of observation,” said De Meo.

“In my work, however, I cannot think like a fan. I am a manager. I had a listed company. Unfortunately, that means I have to rethink the Formula 1 project in order to win.

“So then you have to start looking at what you can change in the short term.”

Alpine made a ‘humiliating admission’ over their future

Manufacturers in F1 have run under different engine suppliers before, a case in point being Aston Martin currently runs Mercedes engines and will switch to Honda in 2026.

Alpine will reportedly use Mercedes engines for a second time in the hybrid era, having previously used them as Lotus in 2015.

READ MORE: Oliver Oakes claims Alpine have ‘performance to come’ as late season upgrades arrive

Switching to a direct rival in the car market could be a ‘humiliating admission’ for Alpine according to journalist Lawrence Edmundson, who highlighted the potential implications on the brand.