It’s the end of an era for Alpine. After days of protest, it seems certain that Renault has decided to shut down the engine division in Viry-Chatillon. This news isn’t completely unexpected coming from Paris. While an official announcement is still pending, reports suggest that Renault has made the definitive decision to close the engine department of the historic French team.
According to nearly confirmed reports from AutoHebdo, Renault’s board and CEO Luca De Meo have agreed to this closure. Thus, the chapter of French engine manufacturing in Formula 1 comes to a close, as from 2026 Alpine will operate as a customer team relying on another team for its power units, most likely from Mercedes.
The appeals from Alpine workers, who protested in front of Renault’s headquarters in Paris on September 20 against the closure, have proven futile. They had secured a meeting with Luca De Meo, which he described as “positive.” However, on September 26, the workers in the Alpine engine division expressed their “great concern” about the situation.
The management had set September 30 as the deadline for a decision, and according to AutoHebdo, “The Renault group confirms today the end of its engine program.”
The reports from Paris indicate that Alpine will no longer have an engine division starting in 2026 after years of participation in Formula 1.
The end of an era
The closure of the engine division carries significant implications for the team, including the potential layoffs of a large number of employees at the facility, compounded by the team’s current ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
With the end of the Alpine engine era, a part of Formula 1’s history is lost, during which the French team won 12 Constructors’ Championships and 11 Drivers’ Championships. The discontent among workers is unlikely to dissipate anytime soon, and protests regarding the future of the Viry-Chatillon facility will almost certainly continue.
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