While considering remaining as a factory engine team instead of becoming a Mercedes customer, Alpine has set a deadline for its 2026 Formula 1 engine decision.
As the Renault board continues to evaluate the Viry-Chatillon-based Formula 1 engine project, Alpine expects to make a final decision regarding its 2026 engine partner within about a month. Renault had begun developing a power unit to meet the 2026 regulations, which feature a more balanced distribution between the internal combustion engine and hybrid components.
After meetings with Renault CEO Luca de Meo, Bruno Famin announced the cancellation of the project as one of his final acts as team principal and noted that Viry staff would have the opportunity to work on other motorsport programs for Alpine/Renault. Subsequently, some employees at Viry went on strike, and many expressed their dissatisfaction publicly by attending the Italian Grand Prix.
Speaking to Autosport, de Meo said the option of continuing as a customer team remains on the table, with Mercedes being the most likely engine supplier for the team in 2026.
“We have four or five weeks to determine the situation with the board,” de Meo said. “We are analyzing how to approach F1 from 2026 to be more competitive and are evaluating every opportunity. The idea of switching to Mercedes engines is on the table, but I assure you no decision has been made yet.”
De Meo added that the financial implications of being a customer team are significant, and the marketing repercussions of Renault abandoning its own engine project to partner with another manufacturer would also be a factor in the final decision.
This statement followed the release of figures by Alpine employees indicating that the 2026 engine project had shown promising progress so far, and the engineers at Viry-Chatillon were on track to meet the targets.
“If we do a purely financial analysis of the cost of producing the 2026 power unit in-house versus how much we could save with a customer engine, the difference is substantial,” de Meo said. “So, those looking at the numbers might see an opportunity to enter the new F1 regulations with a more competitive but less costly project.”
“That said, the offer is on the table, but no decision has been made by the board. This is just one of many important points being discussed regarding how we approach F1 in the future,” he added.
“At this stage, many other factors come into play when making a decision: what does marketing think? What are the downsides of this choice? How significant are these risks compared to the potential financial savings?”
“This financial picture has to be weighed against all the other factors. Our goal is to build a competitive project, and so many factors must be carefully considered in these decisions,” de Meo concluded.
He also emphasized that nothing is for sale and that the Alpine racing team would continue under Renault ownership, with the Viry base hosting new projects.
“We’re not selling anything. There are talented people at Viry-Chatillon working on not only F1 but also other important innovative projects,” he said. “We’ve started significant innovation projects beyond motorsport, so we need to stay calm to make the best decisions,” he added.
