According to the Executive Advisor of the French team, Renault engines have been a problem since the Power Unit freeze in 2022. Alpine has faced a power and reliability deficit compared to competitors with different engine suppliers. This was particularly evident during the wet race in São Paulo, where engine performance matters less, resulting in an excellent performance.
Statements on Renault Engines
Flavio Briatore stated: “In the wet, discussions about the engine become irrelevant. Even in 2025, we will need to recover the three-tenths lost due to the Power Unit by building a better car. We shouldn’t worry; instead, we need to work better with aerodynamics and study the tires more effectively.”
Oliver Oakes, Alpine’s Team Principal, also weighed in on the matter. According to the British leader, progress in this direction has already been made with the updates introduced in Austin. Since that new package, the team has consistently reached Q3 and scored significant points thanks to improved race performance.
Oakes further commented: “It’s no secret that the car we saw at the start of the year won’t be remembered fondly at Enstone. However, I think the performance improvements made during the season are impressive. The challenging aspect of these regulations is starting strong but then losing momentum as the year progresses, as we’ve seen with some teams.”
The FIA has also addressed the issue of Renault engines, particularly the withdrawal of the historic French manufacturer. Renault was one of the six manufacturers that signed on to help draft the 2026 regulations. Despite this, the decision to leave Formula 1 has been made, and the FIA has no intention of interfering. According to Nikolas Tombazis, there is no plan to force Renault to stay if their interest lies in leaving the sport.
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