What people at Alpine’s Enstone factory have been told about the potential sale of their F1 team

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Renault’s Formula 1 project appears to be in a precarious position with Alpine having a difficult 2024 campaign and question marks over their long-term place on the grid.

Flavio Briatore’s return to the Formula 1 paddock with Alpine earlier in the season turned a few heads.

It’s been a tough 18 months for the team after finishing 4^th in the Constructors’ Championship in 2022.

Alpine then lost Fernando Alonso – and Oscar Piastri – and while Pierre Gasly is a very strong driver, it was a sign that things weren’t as rosy as their strong position in the standings that year suggested.

Last season, Gasly and Esteban Ocon could only manage a single podium finish each but they would both be thrilled with that sort of return this year after falling even further down the pecking order.

Alpine have scored just 11 points and it would take a serious upturn in form over the final 10 race weekends to even catch Haas or RB, let alone the top five manufacturers.

Among this disappointment, rumours about the potential sale of Alpine won’t go away.

Two teams have potentially been identified as interested in Alpine although the message from the likes of Briatore is that they’re definitely not for sale.

Speaking on The Race’s YouTube channel, journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm shared more details about the French team’s future.

Alpine’s operations are split between Enstone in the United Kingdom and Viry-Chatillon in France where Renault’s engineer development takes place.

Mitchell-Malm believes that Alpine’s staff have been assured that the team aren’t for sale, although whether that fills them with much confidence is another matter.

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

Alpine’s Enstone staff told the F1 team is not for sale

Speaking about the situation, Mitchell-Malm said: “Everyone involved in Alpine is adamant that the team is not for sale.

“[Luca] De Meo has said it, the staff at its Enstone base were promised that recently and doubtless any potential buyer would be told it’s not available.

“Yet every move that’s being made points in that direction making it difficult to escape the conclusion that this is the likely end game.

“It’s not imminent, but it could be that Renault sees 2026 as the last throw of the dice before selling it off.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Alpine’s F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore

Renault power unit set to be ditched as Alpine chase Mercedes engine

Although Alpine are telling their staff that a sale isn’t imminent, they also wouldn’t be going around exclaiming that they were if that was the case.

The main sign that Renault might not be as committed to their Formula 1 team as before is their attitude towards their engine program.

Normally, teams are desperate to be factory outfits and want to be in control of every aspect of their car.

The likes of McLaren and Williams, however, are both benefitting from Mercedes power units and Alpine want to be in that boat.

Alpine tried to convince Carlos Sainz to sign by telling him they were pursuing Mercedes engines in the future.

It didn’t work out but the plan remains in place for Alpine to use Mercedes power units and a team with a long-term future in the sport wouldn’t be making those moves.