Renault has announced that it will end its Formula 1 engine programme following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
This decision means that Renault’s Alpine team will need to source engines from another manufacturer, with Mercedes being the expected supplier starting in 2026.
The F1 engine facility located in Viry-Chatillon, Paris, will pivot its focus towards the development of electric motor and battery technologies, alongside the company’s other motorsport activities. This marks the end of nearly 50 years of involvement in F1, beginning with Renault’s groundbreaking entry into the sport in 1977 with the introduction of the first turbocharged engine.
Throughout its history, Renault has maintained a continuous presence in F1, with the exception of two brief hiatuses between 1987-88 and 1998-2000. The company has established itself as one of the most successful engine suppliers, achieving a total of 10 constructors’ titles and nine drivers’ championships.
Renowned drivers such as Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve have all benefitted from Renault engines, alongside successful teams like Williams, Benetton, and Red Bull.
Renault’s own team celebrated drivers’ and constructors’ title doubles with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006. However, the decision to end the F1 engine programme comes after a decade of limited success for Renault/Alpine since the introduction of hybrid power units in 2014, coinciding with a decline in the team’s competitive performance in recent years.
While Alpine achieved a notable victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and finished fourth in the world championship in both 2020 and 2022, the team fell to sixth place last year and is currently positioned ninth out of ten teams with six races left in the 2024 season.
In a statement regarding the decision, the Renault Group mentioned little beyond the commitment to continue F1 activities at Viry until the end of the 2025 season. Recently, a group representing employees at Renault’s motorsport base in Paris held protests during the Italian Grand Prix and engaged in discussions with CEO Luca de Meo. However, these actions did not alter a decision that had been anticipated within F1 for some time.
The Renault statement indicated the establishment of an “F1 monitoring unit,” aimed at preserving employees’ knowledge and skills within the sport while ensuring continued innovation in other projects now being prioritized. All employees affected by this decision will be offered positions in the new structure, referred to as Alpine Hypertech.
The Alpine F1 team remarked, “This is a decision taken at Group level and by Alpine Management. The team remains fully focused on the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and working hard to deliver the best on-track results for the remainder of the season.”
Moving forward, the motorsport engineering efforts at Viry will concentrate on Alpine’s World Endurance Championship programme, as well as Formula E and rally-raid programmes for Renault’s partner brands.
