P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Protests are planned across the Italian Grand Prix by disgruntled Viry staff.
Alpine has responded to the planned Viry staff protests at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, saying they are aware of the activities and understand they will be peaceful protests that won’t impact team operations. Renault is considering closing the in-house engine project for 2026 and reverting Alpine to customer status, possibly with Mercedes for the rules revamp. Staff at Viry were informed of these proposals in July, with former team principal Bruno Famin stepping down and Oliver Oakes taking over. An open letter written by Viry staff during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend called the idea a “betrayal,” prompting planned action at Monza. Some Viry staff will strike, while around 100 others will protest at Monza, split into two groups with banners. Alpine emphasized that the transformation project is still under evaluation, with no final decision made yet, and they value the ongoing dialogue with Viry employee representatives since July, which will continue in the coming weeks.
