P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Staff representatives at the Renault Group’s Viry-Chatillon Formula 1 power unit facility have urged CEO Luca de Meo to renounce plans to transform Alpine into a Mercedes customer team. Amid Bruno Famin’s announcement last month that he would be stepping down as Alpine Team Principal – having now been succeeded by Oliver Oakes – the […]
After Bruno Famin announced his departure as Alpine Team Principal and Oliver Oakes taking over, Alpine considered switching from being a works team to a Mercedes engine customer for 2026. Despite starting work on the 2026 Renault power unit in Viry and the influence of French union workers on business decisions, staff rejected the proposal. The decision to potentially switch to Mercedes engines was met with backlash from Alpine employees at Viry, who urged the management to reconsider. Renault-powered cars have historically lagged in F1, but Alpine’s 2026 power unit showed promise, with successful milestones achieved. The potential shift to Mercedes engines has caused concern among Viry staff, who have dedicated years to Renault power units. The future of Alpine’s F1 engine strategy remains uncertain amidst these developments.
