Formula 1 team Alpine (previously Renault) has made a significant move by scrapping its engine program and is set to become a customer team starting in 2026. With new regulations on the horizon, Alpine will no longer use the Renault power unit, instead likely sourcing its engines from Mercedes.
The decision comes after years of stagnation. It’s widely understood that the Renault power unit has been underperforming, which has contributed to Alpine’s struggles at the back of the grid. This move follows a review of Renault’s F1 operations by Renault Group CEO Leo De Meo, which included assessing whether it made sense for Renault to continue producing their own power units at their Viry-Châtillon facility in France.
The Viry-Châtillon site will now be transformed into ‘Hypertech Alpine,’ a cutting-edge engineering centre focused on developing high-performance vehicles and advanced technologies for Alpine and the Renault Group. Alpine has stated that this facility will bring together global talent to foster innovation, supporting the company’s future ambitions.
However, the historic ties between Enstone and Viry-Châtillon have been severed, marking a significant shift in the operational dynamics of the Alpine F1 Team. This separation might affect the traditional collaboration between chassis design and engine development, which has long been one of the team’s core strengths. Whether the team can continue to find success in Formula 1 under this new structure remains to be seen.
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Has Alpine Admitted Defeat?
Renault officially ending its engine program marks the end of an era. In the early 2000s, Renault engines were among the most sought-after in F1, powering multiple teams, including Red Bull Racing, which dominated from 2010 to 2013 with Renault’s power. The team’s golden era, when it supplied engines to half the grid, is long gone.
While every F1 team dreams of full control over both its chassis and engine, Alpine is now voluntarily relinquishing control over one of the most critical aspects of any motorsport team—its power unit. In truth, there is no inherent disadvantage in being a customer team. Several teams, such as McLaren, have thrived while using engines sourced from manufacturers, with McLaren even outperforming Red Bull at times with a Mercedes engine. However, Alpine’s decision to give up their engine program out of frustration hints at diminishing ambitions.
This move raises questions about whether the French team deserves its spot on the F1 grid, especially as the entry of two American motorsport legacy teams, Andretti and Cadillac, was recently denied.
As Alpine embarks on this new chapter as a customer team, the future of their competitive edge in Formula 1 is uncertain—if they had one to begin with in recent years. While outsourcing their engine may offer a fresh start, it also brings up concerns about their long-term ambitions in a sport that thrives on innovation and independence. With major regulatory changes set for 2026, fans and rivals alike will closely monitor how this strategy unfolds. Time will tell whether this transition will rejuvenate Alpine or further diminish their status in the evolving landscape of Formula 1.