Renault Group: Alpine F1 Staff Call on French Government to Step in as Engine Production is Set to Cease

Workers at Alpine’s Viry-Chatillon facility are lobbying the French government, seeking intervention after Renault Group announced plans to end the factory’s Formula 1 engine production.

The employees, supported by a strong union presence, expressed deep frustration and disappointment with the company’s decision, stating that they “regret and deplore” the choice to shut down this vital part of the Alpine operation.

The Alpine F1 team, which is based in Enstone, UK, will likely switch to customer Mercedes engines and rear-end components starting in 2026. This shift signals a significant departure from Alpine’s current operations and identity, as it has previously been developing its own engines at the Viry-Chatillon site.

In their public statement, the workers criticized Renault Group for making the decision without fully evaluating its potential impacts on future sales and brand prestige.

“This choice is endorsed by the (Renault) Group, which wishes to reduce the financial risk surrounding F1, even though no serious study has been conducted to assess the impact on future sales and the prestige of the brand,” they asserted.

The workers highlighted that Renault CEO Luca de Meo had rejected their counterproposals, which could have allowed the nearly completed 2026 engine to remain in competition. According to them, these proposals were dismissed without a thorough assessment.

The workers also voiced their concerns about the future of the Viry-Chatillon site, noting that Renault intends to transform it into ‘Hypertech Alpine,’ a new strategy they regard as vague and lacking in detail.

They described this move as imprecise and raised doubts about its potential to sustain the facility’s long-term operations and employment levels.

“The communicated sizing of the F1 monitoring cell also seems too low, and calls into question the potential return of Alpine as an engine supplier in the long term,” they commented. This, they fear, may undermine Alpine’s potential to remain competitive in Formula 1, especially as an engine supplier.

Another pressing issue raised by the workers is the expected sharp reduction in staff at Viry-Chatillon.

They revealed that employee numbers would fall from 500 to 334 by January 1st, as numerous contracts will not be renewed.

This decrease in staffing is seen as a serious threat to the site’s overall operation and expertise. “Generally speaking, the cessation of F1 engine production, the lack of maturity of the projects brought forward, and the loss of confidence in the management pose a major risk of critical skills leaving the Viry site,” they warned.

Such a loss of talent and knowledge could have far-reaching consequences for Alpine’s ability to innovate and compete.

Despite their frustrations, the Viry team has continued to work on the development of the 2026 power unit. They claim that the company’s decision effectively robs Alpine of an opportunity to make use of the cutting-edge engine they have been building.

“Despite the turmoil of the last two months, the Viry team has continued to develop the 2026 power unit that Alpine is depriving itself of,” the statement read, further criticising the decision as out of step with Alpine’s legacy in motorsports. They argued that this shift would leave Alpine disconnected from its sporting roots and limit its ability to shape its own competitive future.

The employees made a public appeal to government officials, urging them to take action in defence of the Viry-Chatillon site’s future. “We call on the public authorities to defend the sustainability of employment on the Viry-Chatillon site,” they stated. This plea underscores their deep concern for the stability of jobs and the continuity of Alpine’s motorsports legacy, which they believe are now at significant risk.

The workers’ response to Renault’s decision reflects a broader struggle to preserve the skills, identity, and competitive spirit of Alpine’s operations at Viry-Chatillon.

They fear that the closure of the F1 engine program will lead to the loss of valuable expertise and undermine Alpine’s position in Formula 1. The call for government intervention represents their hope for a future where Alpine can maintain its heritage and remain an influential player in the world of motorsports.

Main Image: By Alberto-g-rovi – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77858077