Why Alpine’s Mercedes engine deal could be an issue for investors like Rory McIlroy and Anthony Joshua

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Alpine will abandon their works engine operation ahead of an anticipated switch to Mercedes power, the team announced earlier this week. It followed months of speculation and a formal review into the operation.

F1 veteran Flavio Briatore joined Alpine in an advisory role back in May and there have been seismic changes to the organisation since. The team came to a mutual decision to part ways with Esteban Ocon, insisting it was unrelated to his collision with teammate Pierre Gasly at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Reserve driver Jack Doohan will graduate to a full-time race seat in his stead. Meanwhile, Bruno Famin has stepped away from his role of team principal, giving way to former Hitech boss Oliver Oakes.

But the engine decision is perhaps the most surprising move yet. It will mean relinquishing their status as a manufacturer team and becoming a customer.

Mercedes are expected to have the strongest engine in 2026, following the regulation changes, so this may make Alpine more competitive in the long run. It will also significantly reduce costs.

But it means uncertainty for the employees at their Viry factory, even if the team say it will be used for other purposes. And with a rival company’s power unit in the back, the prestige of the Renault brand could also be damaged.

Anthony Joshua and Rory McIlroy could be pondering their future with Alpine

Last year, a host of celebrities and elite athletes invested in Alpine. The group included Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds (and business partner Rob McElhenney), as well as heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua and golf star Rory McIlroy.

Since they came on board, they’ve seen prolonged upheaval at Enstone, including a complete revamp of senior personnel. The team have also endured a miserable season on track.

With six rounds to go, they’ve scored a mere 13 points, which leaves them second from bottom in the constructors’ championship. It’s set to be their poorest season since 2016, when Jolyon Palmer and Kevin Magnussen brought home eight points for what was then Renault.

Speaking on the ESPN Unlapped podcast, journalist Nate Saunders suggested ‘high-profile’ investors could be looking to move on. The team looks very different compared to 12 months ago.

“They’re a team who have had some of the highest-profile investment we’ve seen, in terms of outright celebrity names,” Saunders said. “We’ve obviously had McIlroy, Rob McElhenney, Travis Kelce was involved, Anthony Joshua involved in these consortiums that were getting involved in the team.

“And you wonder how those deals will shift going forward. Are people going to start looking to get out of that?”

What Alpine could be called if they’re sold after Mercedes engine deal

Alpine signed their deal with Mercedes during the Italian GP weekend, when Viry employees were protesting. It seems their mind was made up long ago even if they insisted they were still deliberating.

The team have repeatedly said they are not for sale but rumours persist. The feeling is that they are more attractive with a Mercedes engine agreement in place.

One of the interested parties is Hitech, with Oakes’ arrival predictably intensifying the links. At the moment, they’re only involved in the junior categories, but they could be looking to expand.

As such, Alpine could become Hitech-Mercedes, officially marking the end of Renault’s F1 comeback. As one new manufacturer arrives in the form of Audi, another could depart.