Alpine is considering abandoning its Renault engine in Formula 1 from 2026, and has started talks with rival manufacturers about the possibility of securing a deal with customers.
As part of an evaluation of its F1 project, prompted by the difficult start to the 2024 season, it emerged that Renault and Alpine leaders have left no stone unturned to understand what needs to be done to revive the situation.
With Renault’s current powertrain declining in performance compared to its rivals, and without the certainty of being able to get things right for the next generation of turbo-hybrid engines arriving in 2026, the company has wondered whether the huge investments necessary to produce your own engine are indispensable.
A plan is apparently being considered whereby Renault could abandon work on its power unit for 2026, making Alpine a customer team.
Sources have revealed that Alpine team principal Bruno Famin has been reflecting on the situation in recent weeks and has held talks with rival manufacturers to see what alternative options might be.
The most logical solution to avoid a potential incompatibility problem between manufacturers would be to take a supply of customer engines from Red Bull, which will have its own power units from 2026.
However, despite talks with the team, the chances of a deal with Red Bull are thought to be unlikely due to the logistical complications the Milton Keynes outfit would face in providing a third team alongside itself and sister team Racing Bulls for 2026.
Red Bull Powertrains HQ
Photo by: Jon Noble
Speaking last year about the possibility of a customer deal, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “I think we need to establish ourselves first. We don’t want to try too hard.”
“I think already providing two teams in 2026 is probably a little more than optimal in the first year, but it will give us the capacity and the ability for the future. So I think first of all we have to establish ourselves and then we will have the ability to take other clients”.
If the Red Bull route is not taken, the other most likely option would be Mercedes, who have a free supply contract for 2026 thanks to Aston Martin’s move to Honda.
The deals with Aston Martin and McLaren have already shown that the German automaker is not afraid to supply power units to other automotive companies, as it sees no negative commercial aspect in its F1 deals.
If Alpine decides to take the customer engine route and is unable to reach an agreement with another manufacturer, F1 regulations stipulate that one of the current engine suppliers will be called upon to supply them so as not to leave it without an engine.
In this case, Honda is likely to be asked to supply an engine, as it is the only existing manufacturer that does not have a second customer team planned for 2026.
Renault’s commitment
While Alpine’s engine situation appears fluid at the moment, this is because Renault CEO Luca de Meo recently made clear his commitment to Alpine’s future in F1, despite interest from potential buyers.
Luca de Meo, CEO, Renault Group
Photo by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images
Speaking to Autocar, he said: “It’s not my style. We’re not going to sell a single part of this thing. We don’t need the money. There’s people bidding left and right, and then the press talks about it. But not we are interested. It would be stupid and I won’t do it.”
In the long interview, however, he stressed that Renault has never managed to emerge with the turbo-hybrid engine rules, which have cost it performance during the current regulatory cycle.
“When we started the hybrid era (in 2014), our engine didn’t work,” he said. “We were world champions with Red Bull, but with the hybrid things went badly.”
“Even the engine we developed in 2021 had a disadvantage of 0″2 or 0″5 per lap. And this year we made mistakes with the car. If you combine everything, we are 1″5 from where we should be.”
In addition to the fact that the engine change would allow Alpine to secure cheaper and potentially more competitive powertrains, the move to a customer team would make the team potentially easier to sell in the future, as the team would no longer have the legacy element of its Viry-Chatillon engine department as part of its F1 commitment.
Viry, which is Renault Sport’s headquarters near Paris, has designed and produced the French manufacturer’s F1 engines since the 1970s. Although abandoning involvement in Grand Prix racing would mark a drastic change in direction, the department could be involved in many other motorsport activities.
Among these is the possibility of contributing to the development of the power unit of its WEC hypercar, which currently features a Mecachrome F2 engine modified with a specific hybrid system.
Alpine declined to comment on the situation when contacted by Motorsport.com.
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