Renault Group has agreed to sell its historic Formula 1 engine facility at Viry-Châtillon to Belgian engineering specialist Dumarey Group, bringing another major chapter of the French manufacturer’s motorsport history towards a close. The agreement covers Alpine Racing SAS, including approximately 150 employees and the assets needed to continue operating the site, as Renault seeks to secure a future for the former F1 engine factory.
The transaction, reported by French newspaper L’Équipe, will see Dumarey acquire the Viry-Châtillon-based company in Essonne, near Paris. The agreement provides for the complete transfer of the teams, together with all the tangible and intangible assets required for the facility’s operations. Around 150 employees are therefore expected to move to the new owner as part of the deal.
Renault agrees sale of Alpine Racing’s Viry-Châtillon facility
The proposed acquisition was presented to employees’ representatives during an extraordinary meeting of the Social and Economic Committee. Completion is expected before the end of 2026, once the legally required employee information and consultation process has been concluded and the necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained.
Under Dumarey’s offer, jobs and the employment-related benefits enjoyed by Alpine Racing SAS staff are to be maintained for 24 months. This commitment is an important element of the agreement, providing a degree of security for the workforce as the facility prepares to operate under different ownership.
The agreement marks a significant development for a site whose future became increasingly uncertain following Renault’s decision to withdraw from Formula 1 engine production. Although the companies have reached an agreement, the sale remains subject to the procedures and approvals required before the transaction can be formally completed.
Nearly 50 years of Renault Formula 1 engine history
The Viry-Châtillon complex has long been at the heart of Renault’s competition engine design and manufacturing activities. Its history stretches back nearly 50 years in Formula 1, during which the facility became closely associated with the French manufacturer’s engine development and engineering expertise.
In September 2024, Renault decided to end its activities as an official Formula 1 engine manufacturer after the 2025 season. Rather than develop its own power unit for the new technical regulations, the company opted to use Mercedes engines from 2026 onwards, a decision expected to generate annual savings of approximately €120 million.
The withdrawal marked a fundamental change in Renault’s Formula 1 strategy. Alpine continued competing in the championship, but the team was no longer supported by an engine programme developed within the Renault Group.
The departure of Renault from Formula 1 engine manufacturing also affected the wider competitive landscape, as reflected in the end of Renault’s involvement as an F1 power-unit supplier from 2026.
Why Renault’s engineering centre is changing ownership
Following the end of Formula 1 engine production, the Viry-Châtillon site was converted into an advanced engineering centre. The intention was to preserve and redirect its technical expertise towards new projects beyond the development of Formula 1 power units.
However, that transformation did not fully achieve its original objectives. The agreement with Dumarey therefore represents the closing of an important chapter in Renault’s history, formally separating its former engine development operation from the Alpine Formula 1 team.
Renault retains a majority stake in the Formula 1 team, meaning that the proposed sale of Alpine Racing SAS does not amount to the sale of Alpine’s championship entry. Instead, the transaction concerns the historic French engineering operation that previously developed the team’s racing engines.
The distinction is particularly important because the Viry-Châtillon facility and Alpine’s Formula 1 organisation have different roles. The planned transfer affects the former engine operation and its technical capabilities rather than Renault’s majority ownership of the racing team.
Dumarey Group plans to expand its motorsport engineering activities
Dumarey Group specialises in advanced engineering services, systems and components for the automotive and industrial sectors. The Belgian company intends to integrate the expertise developed at Viry-Châtillon into its existing operations, strengthening its position in motorsport and high-performance engineering.
Guido Dumarey, chairman and founder of the group, emphasised the importance of preserving the French facility’s technical capabilities while creating opportunities for future development.
“The Viry-Châtillon site has built a strong reputation for advanced engineering and innovation. We see considerable potential in combining its highly skilled teams and technical capabilities with Dumarey’s entrepreneurial culture and diversified industrial footprint. Our ambition is to preserve and further develop this exceptional engineering expertise while creating new opportunities for growth,” Guido Dumarey said.
The planned acquisition would allow Dumarey to build on the engineering knowledge accumulated through decades of involvement in high-performance engines and motorsport technology. It would also give the Belgian group access to specialist teams and facilities with extensive experience in demanding racing applications.
What happens next for Alpine Racing SAS and its employees?
Once the transaction has been completed, Alpine Racing SAS will operate under the Dumarey Group’s brand, ownership and management. The objective will be to preserve and develop the site’s accumulated technical expertise while identifying new opportunities to supply high-performance technologies to other motorsport organisations.
The agreement therefore offers a potential new direction for a facility whose traditional role within Renault’s Formula 1 programme came to an end after the 2025 season. Instead of developing engines exclusively for the French manufacturer’s racing activities, the operation could become part of a wider engineering business serving different customers and racing categories.
For the approximately 150 employees concerned, the planned transfer and the commitment to maintain employment conditions for 24 months provide an important foundation for the transition. The next steps will be the completion of the consultation process, the necessary regulatory approvals and the formal transfer of ownership.
For Renault, the proposed sale represents another decisive step away from its historic role as a Formula 1 engine manufacturer. For Dumarey, it offers an opportunity to develop a new future for one of the sport’s most established engineering facilities.
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