Renault confirms end of F1 power unit project in 2026

Renault has confirmed that its power unit operation will cease at the end of the current set of regulations, with the Alpine Formula 1 team to become a customer entry.

The intention to turn Alpine into a customer team was made public earlier this year, and Renault said at the time that it was entering a period of consultation as it explored different options for the Viry-Chatillon facility that has made F1 engines for the majority of the past 50 years. Employees staged a protest at the Italian Grand Prix asking for Renault to reconsider as they felt they had been making good progress with the 2026 power unit regulations, but it has now been confirmed that 2025 will be the last year of Renault power units.

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In its place at Viry-Chatillon, Renault has announced it will create a high-tech engineering center called Hypertech Alpine that will begin operations later this year and “contribute to the development of ultra-high-performance vehicles and innovations in cutting-edge technologies, for Alpine and Renault Group”. The changes to the site will result in resources that are currently allocated to the F1 power unit division being redistributed elsewhere.

The projects that will be developed at Viry include a future Alpine supercar, battery and new electric motor technologies, and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) program, along with customer motorsports outside of F1.

From an F1 perspective, Renault says it wants to keep a form of connection as an observer to learn from the sport’s future technologies through an 'F1 monitoring unit' that will be established.

“As a result of the consultation process with the employee representatives, during which discussions were constructive and an independent assessment was conducted, Alpine's management confirms its project to transform the site into a center of engineering and high-tech excellence by late 2024,” an Alpine statement read. “Formula 1 activities at Viry, excluding the development of a new engine, will continue until the end of the 2025 season.

“Each employee affected by this transformation project will be proposed a new position within Alpine Hypertech.”

RACER understands a Mercedes power unit supply deal has been discussed with Alpine from 2026 onwards, with Mercedes losing Aston Martin as a customer to Honda at the start of the new regulations.