Alpine ends F1 engine program

Alpine will shed its factory Formula 1 team tag at the end of 2025 when it ends the long running Renault engine project.

It was a move that has been highly rumoured, but now been confirmed with Australia’s Jack Doohan to be driving Alpine’s last season as a works team and Renault’s 41st in F1 since it arrived in 1977.

It will mark the end of an era for the Enstone squad, which has been running Renault power across its various guises for the past three decades.

The last time it did not have factory support from the famous French brand was 1994 when Ford pushed Benetton and Michael Schumacher to a maiden championship success.

Since then the team has always run Renault engines despite changing names from Lotus to Alpine and Renault when it carried the factory name across two stints from 2002-2011 and 2016-2020.

Jean-Pierre Jabouille in the Renault RS01 during the French brand’s debut in the 1977 British GP at Silverstone. Photo by Ercole Colombo / Studio Colombo

It is believed Alpine will switch to Mercedes power having been in talks with the German giant.

This means Renault’s time as an engine supplier in F1 will end having been at the pinnacle of motorsport since 1977, having only missed two seasons between 1986-1989.

Over that time Lotus, Ligier, Tyrrell, Williams, Benetton, Red Bull, Caterham, Toro Rosso and McLaren have all run as customers in addition to the factory squads.

All up Renault have scored 169 Grand Prix victories highlighted by championship triumphs in 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Esteban Ocon wins a chaotic 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix – Image: Motorsport Images

But the last win with Renault power was Esteban Ocon’s 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix and last pole amazingly back in the V8 era, the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel at the wheel.

In Renault’s statement it confirmed the company’s F1 engine factory in Viry-Chatillon will be transformed into an engineering centre focused on Renault and Alpine cars with a focus on supercars, future battery and electric motor technologies, plus Alpine’s factory backed FIA World Endurance Championship team.

“As a result of the consultation process with the employee representatives, during which discussions were constructive and an independent assessment was conducted, Alpine’s management confirms its project to transform the site into a centre of engineering and high-tech excellence by late 2024,” the Alpine statement said.

Fernando Alonso steered the Renault factory team to its first championship success in 2005. Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch

“Formula 1 activities at Viry, excluding the development of a new engine, will continue until the end of the 2025 season.

“Each employee affected by this transformation project will be proposed a new position within Alpine Hypertech.”

Despite some staff protesting, Alpine has said it would ensure all current staff at Viry will keep their jobs, whilst the brand will monitor F1 going forward.

“Creating this Hypertech Alpine centre is key to Alpine’s development strategy and, more broadly, to the Group’s innovation strategy,” Alpine CEO Philippe Krief said.

“It is a turning point in the history of the Viry-Châtillon site, which will ensure the continuity of a savoir-faire and the inclusion of its rare skills in the Group’s ambitious future while strengthening Alpine’s position as an ‘innovation garage’.

“Its racing DNA remains a cornerstone of the brand. It will continue to fuel an unprecedented industrial and automotive project, thanks particularly to Hypertech Alpine.”

The news comes on the eve of the arrival of Australia’s newest F1 driver Doohan, who steps up to make his debut in 2025 as replacement for Esteban Ocon.

It also comes after former Benetton and Renault boss Flavio Briatore returned to F1 as Alpine’s new Executive Advisor, while Oliver Oakes became the squad’s new team principal.

Esteban Ocon leads Pierre Gasly in the 2024 Bahrain GP. Image: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images.

Briatore and Renault CEO Luca de Meo conducted a review of Alpine’s F1 plan earlier this year where it became evident the squad was condidering ditching its long running F1 engine program in favour of being a customer to a brand like Mercedes.

Just a decade ago Renault powered four of the 12 teams on the 2014 grid, whilst in 2024 it only had the factory Alpine team using French-badged power units.

Alpine currently sits a lowly ninth in the 2024 constructors championship with the next F1 race the USA Grand Prix on October 18-20.

Photo by Mark Sutton / Sutton Images

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