Renault chief agrees to meet Alpine’s Viry F1 engine staff after protests

Renault CEO Luca de Meo has agreed to meet employees of Alpine’s French power unit division in Viry-Chatillon as he weighs up a decision on whether to abandon its F1 engine programme.

Renault is strongly considering abandoning its in-house F1 power unit programme in Viry and shifting to Alpine becoming a customer team instead for the all-new 2026 engine regulations.

In July, staff at Renault’s factories at Viry-Chatillon and Enstone were informed of an evaluation study to plot a “transformation project” for its engine division away from its current F1 activities, which has led to protests back at base and at Monza’s Italian Grand Prix.

Staff members felt a potential closure of the F1 programme would be catastrophic for France’s technology sector and claimed Viry’s 2026 engine programme was looking much more promising than had been portrayed.

Through their social and economic council, employees demanded a meeting with de Meo after feeling their voice hadn’t been heard by upper management, and de Meo has now agreed to meet staff representatives later this week.

“The social and economic council (CSE) of Alpine Racing, the engine manufacturer for the French Formula 1 team, has announced that it has arranged a meeting with Luca de Meo, Chairman and CEO of Renault Group, on Friday 20 September 2024 in order to bring to his attention the incomprehension surrounding the end of F1 engine development in France at the Viry-Chatillon site, a unique technology in France,” a statement said on Tuesday.

“The staff representatives thank Mr de Meo for responding favourably to this request.”

Luca de Meo, CEO, Renault Group

Photo by: Michael Potts / Motorsport Images

At the beginning of the month, de Meo told Motorsport.com that the final decision on Viry’s fate had not been taken and that the board of directors had not made up its mind yet over its long-term strategy.

An internal deadline has been set for 30 September to make a decision on the future direction of the division.

Over the summer, Alpine appointed Hitech’s Oliver Oakes as its new F1 team principal, with former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore brought in by de Meo as an advisor as he aims to turn Alpine’s fortunes around.

If confirmed, the decision to abandon its F1 power units would mean the end of a 47-year-long era of Renault engines on the F1 grid. Since 1979, its involvement resulted in 178 grand prix wins – including nine under the TAG Heuer name – having powered the likes of Williams, Benetton and Red Bull since the 90s.