ANALYSIS: What next for Alpine after Renault announce the end of F1 works engine programme?

Alpine have chosen to go down a new path in their Formula 1 journey with the news that from 2026, they will no longer use a works Renault power unit and instead become a customer team.

This outcome has been on the cards ever since Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo ordered a review into the F1 operation – including the viability of continuing with creating their own power unit at their engine base in Viry, France – several months ago.

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De Meo has understandably been irritated by Alpine’s recent form, the French squad having been dragged back into the pack and at times languished towards the bottom end of the midfield in recent times, while a flurry of senior personnel have departed over the last 18 months.

It's well known that the Renault power unit has been the weakest in terms of power output for several years now. At some tracks, that has cost the team several tenths of a second, which in a tightly packed field is the different between qualifying in the top-10 and getting booted out in Q1.

The team have been unable to claw back engine performance because of a freeze that was introduced in 2022 and runs until the end of 2025 with the aim of allowing manufacturers to spend their time, money and resources developing the new-for-2026 PUs, without having to divert resource to continually improving the current generation of engines.

In July, staff at Viry – which is made up of around 300 employees, 200 of which work on F1 – were told a study into the operation had begun and could lead to the F1 project (that has run since the 1970s) ceasing and those resources, including people, being reallocated to other divisions.

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On Monday, the Alpine Group confirmed this would be the case, with staff continuing to work on F1 power units until the end of 2025 – but without any further development on the 2026 PUs.

This means in 2026, the Enstone team will have to have a customer power unit supply for the first time since 2015, when they ran Mercedes power, with all future resources for the Formula 1 project being directed solely to the UK factory.

When De Meo triggered the review, talks immediately began with other power unit manufacturers about the potential for a customer engine supply deal for 2026 so they were prepared for all eventualities.

These talks were led by former Benetton and Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore, who was recalled by De Meo to the Enstone-fold as executive adviser and help with the rebuild of the team.

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Briatore has been remodelling the outfit, including bringing in new Team Principal Oli Oakes – who founded junior squad Hitech – as a replacement for Bruno Famin.

Sorting out a new power unit supply should they need it has been high on the Italian’s agenda.

As I wrote in July, those talks became focused with one provider – Mercedes. Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff said he would be open to supplying another team in 2026 as a replacement for Aston Martin, who will run a works Honda power train.

Discussions with Mercedes are understood to be continuing, however Alpine have yet to comment publicly about their plans.

With teams permitted to crack on with their 2026 cars – built to sweeping new regulations – on January 1 (which is in just over three months’ time) there will be a strong desire for a deal to be done and dusted ahead of this date given how integral it’ll be for the PU to be integrated into the chassis design.

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It would be a huge boost for Alpine if they strike a deal with Mercedes, who dominated the sport last time there was a significant change to the power unit formula back in 2014. A switch to the German provider would likely deliver an immediate step in performance.

And they will take huge confidence from McLaren’s ability to lead the constructors’ championships and emerge as favourites for the title, given they are running a customer supply of Mercedes power.

For now, though, it’s the end of an era for Renault as a power unit supplier in Formula 1 – with the French manufacturer having first started building PUs in their Viry base back in 1976 – and the start of a new chapter for Alpine.