Renault is soon to announce its decision to end production of Formula 1 engines. The French have concluded that the inefficient power unit is contributing to the poor results of the Alpine team. Therefore, a plan has been made for the Enstone team to switch to Mercedes engines from 2026. This move is also expected to bring huge savings.
Renault is set to officially announce its decision on September 30. The French giant is currently working on a plan to migrate staff from the Viry-Chatillon plant. Most of the staff is to be given work on other projects to minimize layoffs. Especially since the employees have no intention of leaving and do not want to hear about ending F1 engine production.
The Alpine Workers’ Social and Economic Council in Viry-Chatillon issued a special statement in which it stressed that Renault had already started work on a new F1 engine with a view to the 2026 season. The dynamometer results are promising, therefore the closure of the project is unjustified and the decision itself is a “betrayal”.
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“The group’s management plans to end the engine program for 2026 at Viry-Chatillon and decide to supply an external engine, most likely from Mercedes. The reason given is cost savings. Developing an in-house engine costs $120 million, while the annual supply of external units costs around $17 million,” the French company said in a statement.
“We do not understand what justifies the killing of this elite unit, which is the Viry-Chatillon plant. It is a betrayal, killing our legend and DNA by implanting a Mercedes heart into our Alpine car. The announcement of the end of development and closure of production of French power units is incomprehensible to us,” it added.
The employees have asked the Renault Group management to change their minds, but it seems that CEO Luca de Meo will be consistent in his moves. The boss of the French giant recently hired Flavio Briatore as an advisor. He is the one who is supposed to push the idea of ending the production of F1 engines.
Renault has been present in F1 as a power unit manufacturer, in various forms, since 1977.
The staff at Viry-Chatillon are not ruling out the possibility of a strike. If it did happen, Alpine would have trouble competing in the current F1 season due to a lack of parts.
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