Alpine has parted ways with Renault: the historic French brand will no longer supply power units for F1, and Luca De Meo, CEO of Renault, explained the reasons behind the decision. It was certainly not an easy choice, and Luca De Meo is well aware of that.
Starting in 2026, Alpine will be powered by Mercedes, and while this might sound strange at first to F1 fans, sometimes emotions must be set aside, and decisions must be weighed very differently from what the heart would suggest.
“I think it was painful to make this choice. I saw a lot of disappointment on the faces of Renault employees after hearing the news. But I can’t just think like a fan: the fact is that to try and improve our situation, a drastic change was needed. Only then can I hope to bring the team back to success.” – he pointed out.
The costs and importance of a power unit
It will feel strange to think that Alpine will have a Mercedes engine, a historic rival of Renault. But we must look beyond appearances. “The costs to build a power unit are around 250 million euros. If the results aren’t good, you can’t sustain the expenses, and this can become a serious problem.”
“In F1, people now focus on the drivers and the teams, not so much on the power units. Even sponsors generally consider the stability of a team and its driver, supporting them, not the power unit. Just think of McLaren; partnerships are signed with them, not with Mercedes, which supplies their power unit,” Luca De Meo adds.
“As it stands, we are spending much more than those who are supplied with engines but gaining nothing more than them. Haas, Williams, and even McLaren are much higher than us in the standings, and they spend just a few million for an engine that we’re producing ourselves.” – the CEO of Renault explained.
He then confirmed Alpine’s continued presence in Formula 1. “I receive many requests from investors wanting to take over the company. But we don’t need money, so we will stay here, competing in F1,” Luca De Meo concluded.
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